Man who broke into Taylor Swift’s Rhode Island home arrested for doing 'donuts' on Trump's New Jersey golf course
BEDMINSTER, NEW JERSEY: A 26-year-old man, who allegedly broke into Taylor Swift's beachfront property in Rhode Island last month, was arrested on Tuesday, September 10, for driving his car onto President Donald Trump's Bedminster golf course and doing doughnuts (spins) with the car causing at least $20,000 worth of damage.
According to a press release by the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office, the police received reports of property damage to Trump National Golf Course on September 3, which they later discovered was caused by Richard J. McEwan using his vehicle.
"Upon arrival, Bedminster Police officers were advised that around 5.30 pm, an employee of the golf course reported seeing a vehicle doing 'donuts' on the 11th hole of the golf course. The employee stated he was standing on the fairway when he heard loud music playing, turned and observed a Ford sedan occupied by one person doing 'donuts' on top of the 11th hole," the press release said.
After the police searched the area, they found a black piece of plastic labeled Ford, presumably left behind by the perpetrator. The damage to the grounds at the time was estimated be a little over $10,000. The police could not catch the suspect.
A similar incident was repeated just a week later. "On Sunday, September 8, 2019 at approximately 3.36 p.m., Bedminster Township Police responded to Trump National Golf Course for a second report of a vehicle driving on the green of the 13th hole, doing 'donuts' which caused damage estimated to be between $7,000.00 and $9,000.00," the release stated.
An eye witness at the scene told authorities that a young, white male was seen driving a blue Ford compact car with a Rutgers sticker on it. After an investigation was conducted by detectives from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office and the Bedminster Township Police Department, a partial license plate of the vehicle was obtained, which belonged to McEwan.
On Tuesday, the defendant was located at his residence and taken into custody without incident before being charged with third-degree criminal mischief. He was released from booking, pending a future court date.
On August 30, when the 'You Need to Calm Down' singer was not at her Rhode Island residence, McEwan was reportedly seen scaling the fence of Taylor Swift's mansion. An intruder alarm was triggered by the second-floor motion sensor. The suspect was caught by police trying to flee the scene.
"This was an unusual case in the sense that we found him inside the house," Westerly Police Chief Shawn Lacey told The Westerly Sun at the time. "We've dealt with a number of complaints at the home since it was purchased, but this is the first I can recall of someone actually making it into the house."