The 'High School Musical' actress was under police investigation in February after posting a photo of her and boyfriend Austin Butler's names carved inside a heart on a red rock.
- May 14, 2016
AceShowbiz - Vanessa Hudgens is fined $1,000 for defacing a red rock in Sedona, Arizona. Vanessa was under police investigation in February after posting on social media a photo her and boyfriend Austin Butler's names carved inside a heart on the rock.
Vanessa has paid the fine, resolving a citation issued to her on a misdemeanor count of damaging a natural feature on U.S. Forest Service land. The money will be used by a volunteer group called Friends of the Forest to restore the rock wall, which typically is done by scrubbing or sanding the rock. A federal magistrate in Flagstaff approved the agreement on April 19.
Vanessa's rep hasn't commented on the issue yet.
In a statement of probable cause obtained by The Associated Press, Vanesssa admitted to using a rock to scratch their names inside the heart and told authorities on where to find it. Volunteers and Forest Service employees found the 1-by-1-foot heart carving on February 23 on a geologic formation known as Bell Rock.
Coconino National Forest Service spokesman Brady Smith said Vanessa's celebrity status played a big role on the issue as authorities found out the news from her Instagram followers who alerted the media about the rock carving. "She was caught in the act because she publicized it and she's famous," Brady shared, "I'm sure there are others who are not famous and publicized it and we've never known."
