MADERA COUNTY – Riverbend Golf Course is noted for its scenic views along the San Joaquin River, but some of its beauty was marred over the weekend when a Madera man went on a tear in his vehicle across two greens.
Tyler Nathaniel Thornton, 24, is behind bars after being arrested the next day for vandalizing the 8th and 11th holes at the popular course.
Thornton is accused of driving onto the golf course late Saturday night, Mar. 29, and causing $5,000 in damage.
Armed with a few tips, Deputy Jeff Thomas tracked Thornton down on Sunday at a home not far from the golf club.
Thornton reportedly admitted to the crime, saying it was “just something he always wanted to do.”
He was booked into Madera County Department of Corrections for felony vandalism, with bail set $25,000.
Riverbend Golf Club is located alongside the San Joaquin River, off Avenue 12 in southern Madera County.
The 18-hole golf course is recognized as the first Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary in the Central San Joaquin Valley, with over 100 acres designated as natural wildlife area within the course layout.
