Repair work will begin today on the Confederate soldier statue that a pickup truck crashed into last month.
Barricades and caution tape were placed around the statue the morning after the truck crashed into it. (Photo by Lana Ferguson)
A structural stability evaluation determined the statue did not sustain any structural damage, according to Ryan Whittington, assistant director of public relations for social media strategy for the university. He said the base of the statue only suffered cosmetic damage, but the contextualization plaque and its base were damaged beyond repair.
“A new plaque has been ordered and will be installed upon receipt, which is expected to occur before Oct. 20,” Whittington said.
The university expects to complete all the repairs within the next couple weeks.
The Confederate soldier statue and its contextualization plaque, which have recently been the center of many debates relating to Confederate monuments in Oxford, were damaged when a truck crashed into the statue the night of Sept. 16. The driver, Coty Pierce Lewis, was charged with driving under the influence, expired tag, no proof of liability insurance and no drivers license. Neither Lewis nor the passenger in the truck with him at the time of the crash was a current or former student or employee.
The University Police Department had released a statement saying nothing indicated the accident was intentional.
The original story on the accident can be found here.
– Lana Ferguson
