The Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office is looking to discover the source of overnight damage at the construction site of the Newberry Hill Road culvert project, which has already caused public works officials to push back the timeline of the road’s reopening with the start of school right around the corner.

KCSO in an Aug. 23 statement said that someone was able to access heavy equipment overnight and allegedly used it to cause significant damage to the construction site located at Little Anderson Creek between Seabeck and Silverdale. Video footage shared by KSCO shows multiple pieces of construction machinery were found overturned, laying on their sides and visibly damaged.

Kitsap County Public Works added in the report that a retaining wall sustained “significant structural damage”, leading officials to conclude that the Sept. 4 scheduled reopening of the roadway was no longer possible or safe.

Crews are working to assess the new extent of the road closure, officials saying crews will be required to dig under the wall to properly access the damage. Paving at the site had been scheduled to start just three days from the discovery of the damage.

County officials are working with nearby Klahowya Secondary School to work out a plan for the start of the school year.

Police say they are investigating this as a case of first-degree malicious mischief and are encouraging anyone with information leading to a suspect to call 911 or Detective Dekorte at 360-337-5614.