NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas – A man is facing a charge of driving while intoxicated after allegedly causing a crash that left a piece of history in New Braunfels with significant damage.
A statue depicting a World War I soldier was knocked off its pedestal in New Braunfels’ Main Plaza in the crash, which happened after 10:30 p.m. on Sunday.
A photo provided to KSAT by a viewer, John Cade, shows the silver statue on the ground with what looks like a chunk of its metal alongside it.
Another picture shows the stone pedestal in pieces and large tire marks in the dirt that surrounded it.
A police report says the driver of the car, Jesse Cudney, 32, told officers he was swerving to avoid a deer when he lost control of his car.
Cudney, however, was arrested on a DWI charge and booked into the Comal County jail, officials said.
A crew working in the plaza Monday morning confirmed they were making repairs to a water sprinkler line that also was damaged in the crash.
Diana Moltz, who lives in New Braunfels, noticed the unusual scene as she walked by.
“I thought they were putting up the Christmas lights, and I thought maybe they were preparing the wiring,” Moltz said.
When Moltz found out that was not the case, her festive feelings quickly faded.
Instead, Moltz found herself thinking of previous crashes in almost the same spot.
“They have even, in the past, hit this nice big fountain,” she said, pointing to one of the plaza’s oldest features.
In November 2022, KSAT covered yet another crash in which a car hit the City of New Braunfels utility building.
In that case, police arrested Brennon Smith, 17, who they said ran from the scene.
“It’s just one of those things, and I don’t know how we can prevent it. You can’t fence off the plaza,” Moltz said, referring to the crashes.
David Ferguson, a Public Information Officer for the City of New Braunfels, said that while the statue was meant to depict a World War I soldier, it did not appear to represent anyone in particular.
One online website dedicated to war relics mentions that the statue was erected in the 1930s.
“We shouldn’t forget these people for fighting for us,” Moltz said. “I hope the statue is going to be replaced.”
Ferguson says the city is still trying to determine how and when the statue might be repaired. He also said he was not able to offer a monetary estimate yet on the damage.