Former US Olympian David Hearn Indicted on Felony Charge in Reflecting Pool Incident

Former U.S. Olympic canoeist David "Davey" Hearn has been indicted on a felony charge of destruction of property. The indictment follows his arrest last month at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C., as confirmed by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro.

Hearn, a seasoned Olympic athlete, was formally charged on Thursday in D.C. Superior Court in connection with the incident that occurred on June 19.

Hearn has publicly denied causing any damage to the recently renovated Reflecting Pool. He stated that he paused during a bike ride and simply touched a loose segment of the peeling blue coating, explaining it was "to satisfy my curiosity as a citizen."

This indictment is part of a series of arrests and citations related to damage sustained by the Reflecting Pool. The landmark underwent a significant rehabilitation project exceeding $14 million during President Donald Trump's administration.

President Trump had previously attributed the pool's damage to vandals, often referring to its distinct blue coating as "American flag blue."

Allegations and Denials

The arrest of Hearn gained considerable public attention after journalist Emily Miller captured the event on video. Miller's two-minute footage of Hearn's detention quickly circulated widely on X, formerly Twitter.

Miller specifically accused Hearn of grabbing a hose that female National Park Service employees were utilizing to clear algae from the pool. Hearn refuted this particular accusation, though he acknowledged that his bicycle tire might have inadvertently bumped the hose.

"I didn't vandalize anything," Hearn recounted to The Washington Post. "By the time I realized what was going on, I was being put in handcuffs."

Prior Legal Encounters

This is not Hearn's first encounter with law enforcement. Nearly three decades ago, he was arrested by the U.S. Park Police, a case from which he ultimately emerged victorious, according to a 1996 report in The Washington Post.

That year, the Potomac River experienced extreme flooding due to intense, heavy rains, reaching a near-record flow of 60,000 cubic feet per second. Authorities promptly issued an emergency closure of the river. Despite this, Hearn reportedly took his whitewater canoe into the turbulent rapids, where officers subsequently intervened and arrested him.

He was charged with failing to obey a lawful order. However, Hearn challenged the charges in court and won due to a striking technicality. A federal judge dismissed the case, ruling that the Potomac River itself falls under the jurisdiction of the state of Maryland, thereby nullifying the federal Park Police's authority over the water.

An Olympian's Legacy

As an accomplished Olympian, Hearn proudly represented the United States in three Summer Olympic Games. He also had the honor of carrying the Olympic torch through Washington, D.C., for the 1996 Atlanta Games.

"It was an incredible honor to be a torch-bearer for the Olympics in my own state," he stated on his website.

His elder sister, Cathy Hearn, is also a distinguished athlete, a two-time Olympian in women's kayak. In 1979, she achieved an unprecedented feat by winning three gold medals at the World Championships and was a member of the 2001 World Championship Team.