GEORGETOWN, Del. - A memorial dedicated to Georgetown Police Officer Chad Spicer was struck by a drunk driver just after midnight late Sunday, causing damage to the memorial, a park bench, and a fire hydrant.
Patrolman Chad Spicer of the Georgetown Police Department was shot and killed while protecting his community on Sept. 1, 2009.
Spicer's mother, Ruth Ann Spicer, expressed her distress, stating that the pain of losing her son has never faded, and the incident is particularly heartbreaking for the family.
"That monument is there for us to honor him and respect him. And then for someone to be intoxicated to take that down is just horrible, just a horrible thing," she said.
Georgetown Police Chief Ralph Holm expressed concern, citing a recent pattern of alcohol-related accidents at the same location on The Circle.
"People should not be drinking and driving," he said. "Over the last three months, we've had three vehicles crash into The Circle, all three were alcohol-related. So, it's definitely a problem."
According to Holm, the drunk driver was traveling well over the speed limit, and stopped right in front of the fountain in The Circle. The driver was apprehended at the scene and is now facing multiple charges, including felony criminal mischief and malicious mischief with a motor vehicle. No one was hurt during the crash.
During Monday night's Town Council meeting, safety concerns for traffic in the Georgetown Circle were brought up.
According to town manager Gene Dvornick, the restoration of the Chad Spicer memorial on The Circle may take as long as 9 to 10 months
