Bay Area Friends Face Charges After Breaking Dinosaur Artifact

Two men from Petaluma, California, are in hot water after allegedly breaking a woolly mammoth tusk at a museum in Missouri. This tusk, estimated to be around 10,000 years old, is valued at around $200,000, which certainly adds to the gravity of the situation.

Brett Howard, 46, and Todd Azevedo, 48, were visiting the Ancient Ozarks Museum of Natural History on March 8 when the incident happened. It appears that during their visit, one friend decided to hop onto the other’s shoulders. What followed was a reach for the massive 200-pound tusk, which, considerably to their misfortune, fell and shattered into several pieces.

Reports indicate that a museum employee witnessed this unfolding drama through security footage around 10:50 a.m. Attempts were made to intervene, but things escalated before the two men were eventually charged with first-degree criminal damage to property.

Both men managed to secure their release shortly after, each posting a $15,000 bail. However, the stakes are high; if they are found guilty, they could face up to four years in prison. Additionally, they have been placed under specific bond conditions that prohibit any contact between them and prevent them from visiting certain locations connected to the museum and its owner, Johnny Morris, who is the founder of Bass Pro Shops.

The local sheriff, Brad Daniels, expressed sorrow over the damaged artifact, noting, “This is a one-of-a-kind artifact…and you’ll never have it again.” His reaction is understandable; breaking something so historic feels particularly heartbreaking. It’s hard to imagine that grown adults would find themselves in such reckless behavior, but here we are.