The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) has arrested four Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department (JFRD) employees following a paintball incident that targeted several vehicles, including a JSO patrol vehicle.
On Monday, December 29, 2025, an officer was driving near North Jefferson Street and West Duval Street in the LaVilla neighborhood when he noticed multiple impacts on his marked patrol vehicle. Upon inspection, he discovered several green paint splatters. A civilian driver also reported that their vehicle had been struck in a similar manner.
Responding officers observed multiple green paint splatters on the roadway, believed to have originated from a high-velocity launcher at an elevated location. Paint was also found on an I-95 traffic sign, a “One-Way” sign, a dumpster, and an abandoned structure.
Officers observed firefighters quickly entering a nearby fire station and closing the bay doors. When interviewed, firefighters noted that there was an ongoing “prank war” between fire stations, which may have been the source of the incident.
Further investigation revealed 14 red and green paintballs on the roof of the fire station, as well as used paintball shells in the station’s driveway, which appeared to have been recently washed.
JSO’s Integrity Unit, which investigates alleged crimes within city agencies, opened an investigation.
On Thursday, January 22, 2026, after a lengthy and thorough process, detectives identified four JFRD personnel who participated in the incident and obtained warrants for their arrests. Friday afternoon, JSO arrested the four firefighters on misdemeanor criminal mischief charges. They were booked into the John E. Goode Pretrial Detention Facility (Duval County jail) shortly thereafter.
The firefighters have been identified as:
- Engineer Landon T. Simmons, 30
- Engineer Wesley P. Parker, 32
- Engineer Tristen C. Harrison, 25
- Firefighter Colby B. Lesage, 23
Sheriff T.K. Waters and JFRD Chief Percy Golden Jr. have addressed the matter. The four individuals have been reassigned to administrative duties pending the outcome of an internal JFRD investigation. Personnel questions regarding the firefighters’ statuses should be directed to JFRD.
JSO maintains a strong public safety partnership with the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department. This incident does not change our commitment to protecting the citizens and visitors of Jacksonville.
To view the post regarding these arrests on JSO's social media plaftorms, please click on one of the following links:
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