Pickleball Player Faces Felony Charge For Permanent Marker on Gym Floor

A 71-year-old man is facing a felony charge for using a permanent marker to draw pickleball boundaries on a public recreation center’s hardwood floor, KDVR reported.

Arslan Guney, a retiree, was released from jail on a personal recognizance bond after receiving a felony charge for criminal mischief for causing $10,000 in damage to the court at Central Park Rec Center in Denver. Guney reportedly drew 45 boundary markers—Xs and squares—with a permanent marker on the hardwood court on March 14.

“Defacing or damaging public property is unacceptable, a criminal offense, and will not be tolerated in any of our public buildings or spaces,” a spokesperson for the Denver Parks and Recreation agency told the Washington Post. Guney’s attorney called the situation a misunderstanding and also questioned the city’s estimates for the damage caused to the floor.

According to KDVR, a maintenance worker attempted to remove the marker from the court using a solvent, but the solvent also removed finish from the floor. A facility supervisor said it would cost an estimated $10,000 to refinish the floor.

Guney faces up to three years in jail if convicted. The Denver District Attorney’s Office said Friday it had not yet accepted or refused the case for prosecution, according to the Post.