Man who caused serious damage in Seattle park arrested again for cutting down trees, police said

LOS ANGELES — After his arrest for criminal damage, he was banned from all city parks. However, on Tuesday, Steve Irwin was sent back to jail after Seattle police arrested him for violating a court order.

Irwin, 41, was banned from all parks for a year after he used an excavator to dig up a slope in Dr. Jose Rizal Park in October. He ripped out vegetation to build a shack. He regularly claimed that he had permission to build a shack and planned to mine for gold.

In late May, Tim Emerson of We Heart Seattle, a privately funded homeless support group, spotted signs that Irwin had returned to Jose Rizal Park. Since then, a tent has been set up on a hillside where Irwin had been staying.

Irwin had previously been charged with several crimes, including malicious damage to property, possession of a stolen vehicle, trespassing, obstructing a police officer and auto theft.

Seattle police said Irwin was once again cutting down small trees. Officers obtained an arrest warrant and took him to jail, where he was charged with criminal damage and trespassing.