71-Year-Old 'Mayor Of Pickleball' Turns Himself In On Felony Warrant

DENVER (CBS4) - A 71-year-old Denver man deemed the "Mayor of Pickleball" has turned himself in to face felony charges for criminal mischief. Arlsan Guney is accused of using a permanent marker to indicate pickleball boundaries on a Denver recreational center floor.

The game is similar to tennis, but with a smaller court, a different ball and racquet.

The incident took place at the Central Park Recreation Center on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.

"In no way did he intend to damage the floor," said Hollynd Hoskins, Guney's attorney. "This is not a crime. This is not criminal mischief."

The rec center had yellow markers available for the pickleball boundaries, but Guney had argued those lines would move and they needed permanent ones.

The City of Denver Parks Department issued a statement reading, "Defacing or damaging public property is unacceptable, a criminal offense and will not be tolerated in any of our public buildings or spaces."

The police were notified that repairing the damage to the floor would cost $10,000.

Hoskins says Guney is willing to pay for any damage that is considered reasonable.