JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has arrested four Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department employees following a paintball incident that damaged multiple vehicles, including a marked police patrol unit, authorities said.
The incident occurred Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, in the LaVilla neighborhood. An on-duty JSO officer reported that while driving near North Jefferson Street and West Duval Street, he noticed multiple impacts on his patrol vehicle. Upon inspection, the officer found green paint splatters consistent with paintballs. A civilian motorist later reported similar damage to their vehicle.
Responding officers located additional green paint splatters on the roadway and nearby objects, including an Interstate 95 traffic sign, a one-way sign, a dumpster, and an abandoned structure. Investigators determined the paint appeared to have been fired from a high-velocity launcher from an elevated position.
Officers observed several firefighters entering a nearby fire station and closing the bay doors. During interviews, firefighters referenced an ongoing “prank war” between stations as a possible source of the incident.
Further investigation uncovered 14 red and green paintballs on the roof of the fire station, along with used paintball shells in the station driveway that appeared to have been recently washed away.
The JSO Integrity Unit, which investigates alleged criminal activity involving city employees, opened a formal investigation. After a lengthy review, detectives identified four Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department employees who allegedly participated in the incident and obtained arrest warrants.
On Friday afternoon, JSO arrested the four firefighters on misdemeanor criminal mischief charges. They were booked into the Duval County Jail.
The individuals arrested were identified as:
- Landon T. Simmons, 30, engineer
- Wesley P. Parker, 32, engineer
- Tristen C. Harrison, 25, engineer
- Colby B. Lesage, 23, firefighter
Sheriff T.K. Waters and Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department Chief Percy Golden Jr. addressed the incident following the arrests. The four firefighters have been reassigned to administrative duties pending the outcome of an internal JFRD investigation.
In a statement, the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department said it was notified of the allegations on Dec. 29 and fully cooperated with the investigation. JFRD officials said the incident will not affect public safety or department operations and emphasized that the actions of the four individuals do not reflect the professionalism of the department’s workforce.
JSO officials said the incident does not alter the long-standing public safety partnership between the sheriff’s office and Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department.
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