A man was arrested after taking an early-morning joyride on a piece of heavy machinery stolen from a construction site in North Park Sunday morning, authorities confirmed. The backhoe was stolen from a construction site near University Avenue and Utah Street around 5 a.m. Monday, just outside whe re The Mission restaurant General Manager Guy Guadagni was sipping on a cup of coffee. “It was wild. I had to call the police. I had to get somebody out here. I didn’t want nobody getting hurt,” Guadagni said. Video shared with NBC San Diego showed the machine rolling down the street, dragging its bucket along the blacktop and sending sparks flying, Guadagni said. It downed traffic-sign poles and planter boxes. A photo from the scene showed police tape surrounding the excavator as it sat outside a damaged North Park Observatory sign, causing $25,000 in damage. A spokesperson for the San Diego Police Department said the man, who was identified as 28-year-old Liam Quigley, was arrested on a vehicle theft charge and two counts of vandalism. He’s set to appear in court on Wednesday. “He had no shirt on. Could be homeless, I’m not sure. Just joy-riding. Having a good time knocking stuff over,” Guadagni said. “I have, but I’ve never seen anything like that. That was bizarre.” City crews on Monday worked to repair five street signs and a streetlight that were knocked over. Video shared with NBC San Diego showed an excavator driving through North Park. San Diego police say it was stolen. ...read more read less