SANDPOINT — A Bonner County man pleaded guilty Wednesday to tearing down closure signs and caution tape at the City Beach playground during the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Christopher M. Herndon was originally charged with four counts of malicious injury to property, but agreed to plead to one count in exchange for the dismissal of the three other counts, court records show.

Sandpoint Police were summoned to the beach on Lake Pend Oreille on May 16 after a witness reported seeing Herndon yelling and ripping down closure signs, trying to tear them in half and stomping on them, according to a police affidavit. A witness took high-resolution stills and video of the incident, which matched Herndon’s driver’s license photo, the affidavit said.

Herndon, 22, could not be located initially, but was later seen cutting up the warning signs and caution tape. Herndon was cited for the misdemeanor offenses, court records indicate.

The playground was closed off by the city of Sandpoint in observance of COVID-19 safety guidelines.

Herndon is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 5.

Malicious injury to property is punishable by up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine, according to Idaho Code.

Keith Kinnaird can be reached by email at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow him on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.