Published on January 23, 2026 at 5:24 pm
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The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has arrested four firefighters who are accused of targeting multiple vehicles, including a Sheriff’s Office patrol car, with paintballs.
Investigators said the incidents seemed to stem from an ongoing “prank war” that was occurring between fire stations. The four firefighters were reassigned to administrative duties pending the outcome of an internal investigation by the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department.
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The four firefighters also face misdemeanor charges of criminal mischief, police said.
On Dec. 29, a police officer was located in the LaVilla neighborhood when he noticed multiple green paint splatters on his marked patrol vehicle. Police said a civilian reported that their vehicle also was struck.
When police officers responded, they discovered more green paint splatters on an Interstate 95 traffic sign, a “one-way” sign, a dumpster and an abandoned structure.
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Officers also said they observed firefighters quickly entering a nearby fire station and closing the bay doors.
Further investigative efforts led police to find 14 red and green paintballs on the roof of a nearby fire station, along with some used paintball shells in the station’s driveway.
On Thursday, police identified the four firefighters as:
- Landon T. Simmons, 30, engineer
- Wesley P. Parker, 32, engineer
- Tristen C. Harrison, 25, engineer
- Colby B. Lesage, 23, firefighter
This story was produced by News4Jax, a Jacksonville Today news partner.
