Before dawn on Jan. 1, just a few hours after a drag queen named Sushi descended to the ground in a giant red shoe for the annual New Year’s Eve drop in Key West, Fla., two men dragged a Christmas tree to the island’s Southernmost Point monument and set it on fire.
As the burning tree torched the beloved landmark, a webcam streamed live footage of the vandals in the act.
By the time the sun rose on New Year’s Day, video and stills from the incident were circulating among Key West’s local Conch community. Police posted on social media, asking anyone with information to come forward.
When he awoke that morning and saw the images, bartender Cameron Briody immediately recognized one of the faces: It was a guy Briody had served on New Year’s Eve at Irish Kevin’s, a bustling bar on the city’s famed Duval Street.
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The information from Briody helped police track down two men who have now been arrested in connection with the crime. David B. Perkins Jr., 21, of Leesburg, Fla., and Skylar Rae Jacobson, 21, of Henrietta, Tex., face charges of criminal mischief with damage over $1,000.
Shaped like a buoy, the 12-foot-tall marker sits at the southernmost point of the continental United States, 90 miles from Cuba. The Southernmost Point, a popular destination for vacation selfies, was badly damaged in 2017′s Hurricane Irma and required extensive restoration. When it was vandalized on New Year’s, thousands of people shared photos of the suspects, expressing disbelief that anyone would purposely damage the monument.
Crews were able to repair and repaint the Southernmost Point within the week, but police estimated the restoration cost the city more than $5,000.
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Briody, who has been tending bar in Key West since 1999, told The Washington Post he has a good memory for faces and drinks. When he woke up to the images of the incident, he remembered serving one of the men the previous night. The guy had ordered drinks from Briody three separate times, he said, but each time declined to leave a tip.
Share this articleShareBriody called the bar and helped the general manager track down a corresponding credit card receipt and surveillance footage, which showed the two men together at the pub, the Miami Herald reported.
Using the information, police were able to obtain arrest warrants for Perkins and Jacobson. Contacted by law enforcement, both men conceded they had made a “mistake,” according to police reports obtained by the Herald.
The Post was unable to reach the men for comment early Wednesday.
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After police announced the arrests, Irish Kevin’s commended Briody in a Facebook post, saying the bar was “extremely proud” of him. A local rum distillery rewarded the bartender with a case of rum.
Briody told The Post he has been overwhelmed by the attention in recent days. “I really didn’t do anything special, but remember a face,” he said over text.
And, for the record, he wants it known that although his customer didn’t tip, he was “perfectly pleasant and polite” at the bar.
“It’s funny to joke about him not tipping, but that didn’t change my interactions with him,” Briody said.
Good bartenders have good memories, he told the rum distillers in a Facebook video. Customers should act accordingly.
“Always tip your bartender is a good message, I guess,” he told The Post. “But, maybe also don’t be an arsonist is also good.”
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