EVANSTON — A former Evanston resident was arrested last week after witnesses said he tore down several American flags at businesses along Bear River Drive. Jaden L. Shine of Taylorsville, Utah, was taken into custody by Evanston police the evening of Thursday, June 12.

Evanston resident Vicki Norwood told the Herald she was sitting on the patio at Spanky’s Bar on Thursday when a man grabbed the flag flying at the establishment and threw it into the street. Spanky’s owner Marsha Redding was also on the patio and confirmed the incident. Norwood said she also saw Shine throwing flags flying at Hamblin Park into the park’s trees.

They said they saw the man do the same with an American flag flying at next-door business Les Schwab. Flag Day was Saturday, so the town was donned with hundreds of flags when the incident took place.

According to an Evanston Police Department incident report, EPD officer Dustin Kennedy responded to Bear River Drive just before 7 p.m. Thursday after “several reports of a male subject tearing down American flags at businesses and along the street, with a firearm in his red bag. The male described was described to be wearing a hoodie with a black backpack and a red duffle bag.”

Kennedy said that, upon arrival, there were “many people outside of Les Schwab on the sidewalk pointing to a subject walking down the street. … I observed other subjects at the Bear Paw Trail Head, Jaliscos, and Hamblin Park watching the subject.”

He said he drove by and recognized Shine, who was then walking near an American flag hanging on a light post. Kennedy said he parked his pickup in front of Shine and watched him “take down the flag and throw it on the ground.’

Kennedy approached Shine and told him to drop his bags, which Shine did.

“Shine asked if I wanted to arrest him, and I stated I did not,” the report states. “Shine stated that I should arrest him, but did not give me a reason, only stated that for all of our best interest I should.”

Kennedy told Shine about the complaints officials received and placed him in handcuffs “for his and the officer’s safety.”

Shine denied having any firearms and allowed Kennedy to search his bags, the report states, which did not contain any firearms.

More officers arrived on the scene and were advised of a call from Shine’s mother, Cassie Shine, who said her son had stolen her cellphone and broken items inside her home.

“I asked (Jaden) Shine about the cellphone,” Kennedy reported. “Shine stated he did steal Cassi’s cellphone and threw it in the river.”

Shine was arrested for suspicion of breach of peace, property theft and property destruction and taken to the Uinta County Detention Center.

Shine pleaded guilty to misdemeanor theft on Friday. He was sentenced to 180 days in jail, though 179 of those were suspended. He was given credit for the one night he spent in jail.

Restitution payable to Cassi Shine will be determined by the state within 30 days. Court documents indicate Jaden Shine doesn’t have the ability to pay court costs of $70 and a victim’s compensation fee of $150. He was also sentenced to six months of unsupervised probation.