Rescue helicopter severely vandalized with graffiti at Hesperia Airport

Investigators are looking for the person or people who scrawled graffiti on the side of a San Bernardino County rescue helicopter at the Hesperia Airport, causing thousands of dollars worth of damage.

The vandalism was first reported just after 5:20 a.m. Sunday at the airport in the 7000 block of Summit Valley Road, according to San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department officials.

"The suspect(s) defaced the helicopter with graffiti," according to department spokeswoman Gloria Huerta. "The damages were estimated at several thousand dollars.

Photos of the damage showed both sides of the Mercy Air helicopter covered with spray-painted letters, including the aircraft's side windows.

The investigation was ongoing, and no suspect description was available Sunday evening.

What is Mercy Air?

Mercy Air, operated by Colorado-based Air Methods , provides contracted air ambulance services to areas throughout California and Nevada.

Lacking a local trauma center to deal with the most severe medical emergencies and injuries in the High Desert, San Bernardino County rescuers rely on such contracted services to rush severely ill or injured patients to designated trauma centers, such as Loma Linda University Medical Center, far faster than ambulances could achieve.

Anyone with information can reach the Hesperia Police Department at (760) 947-1500. Information may also be submitted anonymously to the We-Tip hotline at (800) 782-7463.

This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Rescue helicopter severely vandalized with graffiti at Hesperia Airport