The attorney for a police officer and his wife who are accused of trashing their million-dollar home when they lost it to foreclosure says the suspects will turn themselves in on Wednesday.
San Diego police officer Robert Acosta, who owned the home with his wife, Monique, is charged with a felony for allegedly doing $200,000 damage to the home, in the French Valley area of Riverside, near Temecula. Monique Acosta, a real estate agent, is charged with the same felony count.
The police department has placed Robert on "administrative leave."
A judge issued an arrest warrant last week for the Acostas, but their attorney said the couple have not been avoiding arrest and have not been in hiding.
"We have been in full contact with the Riverside District Attorney, and we are in the midst of making those [surrender] arrangements," defense attorney Albert Arena said.
The Riverside District Attorney's office confirmed that a hearing is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, in Riverside County.
The Acostas' attorney hopes to negotiate a lower bail amount than the $200,000 listed on the arrest warrant. He also claims that prosecutors have exaggerated the amount of damage done to the house.
"The damage is not as bad as it appears to be," Arena said. "There are some facades that can be easily replaced."
Neighbors said on Monday that the couple told them that their credit union refused to modify their mortgage and gave them until July to move out. Residents said the Acosta's former home was the nicest on the block -- neighbors called it the Castle.
According to Arena, any items -- including decorative gates and air conditioning units -- that the Acostas allegedly took from the home, were their property anyway.
