WASHINGTON — A former Olympic athlete is now facing a felony charge tied to what President Donald Trump has described as vandalism at the Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C.
David Hearn, a 67-year-old former Olympic canoe racer from Bethesda, Maryland, was indicted Thursday on a single count of property destruction in a Washington, D.C. court.
District of Columbia U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro stated that Hearn tore up newly installed sealant on the pool in what she called “a deliberate act” that resulted in $1,000 worth of damage. Pirro alleged that Hearn “forcefully and violently” pulled up the bottom liner “with both hands” and behaved in a belligerent manner toward a pool employee who instructed him to stop.
“This is a case with tremendous evidence,” Pirro said, also noting that prosecutors are currently handling approximately six other related cases.
Hearn had previously given a different account to The Associated Press. He said that on June 19, he reached into the pool to get a closer look at coating that had already begun peeling away on its own. He said he briefly made contact with a piece that was still attached to the side of the pool, then released it shortly after a park worker asked him to stop.
Hearn had previously owned a company that manufactured composite materials used in the construction of watercraft. He told reporters he had stopped at the pool while out on a 64-mile bicycle ride.
He also said he was held by National Guard troops and Park Police for five hours before being released without charges at that time.
Earlier this month, President Trump stated that federal authorities had made “multiple arrests” of individuals he accused of vandalizing the Reflecting Pool. The comments came as Trump faced questions about why the pool’s $14-million-plus renovation project — launched in connection with the nation’s 250th anniversary — appeared to have run into significant problems.
