Former U.S. Olympic canoeist David «Davey» Hearn has been indicted on a felony destruction of property charge following his arrest last month at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C. The indictment, filed Thursday in D.C. Superior Court, stems from a June 19 incident that has drawn national attention amid ongoing repairs to the iconic landmark. Hearn, 67, who represented the United States in three Summer Olympics, faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted, according to court documents.
The charges come after Hearn was arrested by U.S. Park Police at the Reflecting Pool, which recently underwent a more than $14 million rehabilitation project under former President Donald Trump. The pool features a blue coating that Trump has called «American flag blue.» Hearn has denied any wrongdoing, telling The Washington Post that he stopped during a bike ride and merely touched a loose piece of the peeling blue coating «to satisfy my curiosity as a citizen.» He added, «I didn't vandalize anything. By the time I realized what was going on, I was being put in handcuffs.»
Hearn's attorney issued a statement strongly denying the charges, calling them «outrageous» and accusing the administration of using the justice system for political cover. «Davey Hearn is innocent. These charges are outrageous and should be alarming to every American,» the statement read. «This indictment reflects the Administration's effort to shift blame for their own failures. On the eve of our nation's Independence Day, Americans should be deeply concerned by the misuse of government power against an ordinary citizen based on a concocted narrative. The justice system exists to determine facts, not provide political cover.»
The incident gained widespread attention after journalist Emily Miller filmed a two-minute video of Hearn being detained, which quickly went viral on social media platform X. Miller accused Hearn of grabbing a hose that female National Park Service workers were using to clear algae from the pool. Hearn denied the accusation, though he acknowledged that his bike tire might have bumped the hose. The arrest is part of a broader crackdown on alleged damage to the Reflecting Pool, which has seen several people arrested or cited for similar incidents. The White House previously condemned what it called «targeted sabotage» of the pool, pushing repairs past the July 4 celebration.
This is not the first time Hearn has faced legal trouble related to water activities. Nearly 30 years ago, he was arrested by U.S. Park Police for canoeing in the Potomac River during dangerous flood conditions. In 1996, the river turned violent as intense rains pushed water levels to near-record flood stage of 60,000 cubic feet per second, prompting an emergency river closure. Hearn took his whitewater canoe into the raging rapids, where officers later arrested him on charges of failing to obey a lawful order. However, a federal judge dismissed the charges on a technicality, ruling that the Potomac River is controlled by the state of Maryland, meaning federal Park Police had no jurisdiction over the water.
Hearn's Olympic career includes representing the United States in three Summer Olympics, and he carried 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,» according to his website. His older sister, Cathy, is a two-time Olympian in women's kayaking and won three gold medals at the 1979 World Championships, later serving on the 2001 World Championship Team. Political donations have also come to light, with an administration official telling Fox News Digital that Hearn donated to the Democratic fundraising apparatus ActBlue 10 times and contributed to Barack Obama's presidential campaigns five times.
The case has sparked debate about the use of federal resources and the severity of the charge, with critics arguing that the indictment represents an overreach by the Justice Department. As the legal process unfolds, Hearn maintains his innocence, and his defense team is preparing to challenge the evidence. The next court appearance is expected in the coming weeks, as the nation watches a story that blends Olympic glory, political controversy, and a historic landmark.
