A 71-year-old Denver man will not face charges after using a permanent marker to draw pickleball boundaries on a public recreation center’s hardwood flooring, 9News reported.
Arslan Guney, an avid pickleball player, previously faced a felony charge for criminal mischief after reportedly using a Sharpie to mark up the gym floor at the Central Park Rec Center in Denver, causing an estimated $10,000 worth of damage. However, the Denver District Attorney’s Office said March 29 it will not charge Guney with any criminal counts.
“At my suggestion, the parties will attempt to resolve this matter through mediation with a city mediator,” Denver District Attorney Beth McCann said in a statement. “I am optimistic that by sitting down and working out a mutually-agreeable solution, this matter can be solved amicably.”
A warrant for Guney’s arrest was issued March 18 following the Sharpie incident on March 14. Guney turned himself in. Guney’s lawyer questioned the recreation center’s estimates of the damage caused to the floor.
According to KDVR, a maintenance worker attempted to remove the Sharpie 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.
