Overview
- A U.S. federal grand jury on July 2 returned an indictment charging 67‑year‑old David Hearn with criminal mischief for damaging a man‑made pool in central Washington, D.C.
- Federal prosecutors told reporters that National Park Service employees witnessed Hearn removing the pool’s coating on June 19 and that he was briefly detained that day, according to media reports.
- Hearn is a former U.S. Olympic canoeist who, according to reporting, acknowledged touching loose coating while cycling past the site but denies intentional destruction and has contested broader allegations.
- The pool was part of a high‑profile renovation promoted by President Trump for the nation’s 250th anniversary and suffered problems after work, including coating peeling, heavy algae growth, and mounting public criticism over cost and quality.
- The case will proceed in federal court and is likely to draw further legal and political scrutiny of the renovation project as authorities continue their investigation.