Allegedly drunk teen driver wreaks havoc on oldest cemetery in Wichita
WICHITA, Kan (KAKE) - Nineteen-year-old Ethan Holt of Wichita was arrested for DUI and reckless driving after crashing directly into a local cemetery.
More than 16,000 Wichita residents and pioneers are buried in Highlands Cemetery, making it one of the oldest, most historic and diverse cemeteries in the county. It has been in existence since at least the 1870s. Over the weekend, however, some of the headstones that once rested peacefully here were severely damaged.
"They got in there. The gate all the way to the end. It's crazy," said Paige Sutton, a volunteer at the cemetery.
Huge skid marks, three fence panels mangled almost beyond recognition, damaged and toppled headstones, scattered car parts and glass, and one headstone was thrown more than 65 feet to the base of a tree. This is what one corner of Highland Cemetery looked like Tuesday morning.
"It's just not a very pleasant sight for commuters," Sutton says.
According to police, shortly before 1 a.m. Sunday, they arrived on scene and saw a Chevy Camaro vehicle involved in a crash in the cemetery. Damage to the fence and headstones was immediately visible.
"They [fence panels] blew up, it must have been a big blow," Sutton said.
According to police, speed and alcohol led to the accident. Nineteen-year-old Ethan Holt of Wichita was arrested for DUI and reckless driving.
"We don't know if all the rocks will be removed," Sutton says.
Sutton says restoration and repairs will take time. Cleaning and moving headstones requires special permission from city officials and the families of the deceased. Ordinary people can't just show up and move the disheveled stones.
City workers came in to photograph the damage and remove pieces of the fence, but that's only the first step.
"If I wanted to, I couldn't just get the rocks fixed. It could be illegal because people could damage the rocks after trying to help," Sutton says.
Sutton says that since the cemetery is more than 150 years old, it's even more important that it be a clean and safe place where people can come to visit Wichita residents and pioneers of the past.
"It's sad that it was an accident, it's sad that now these people have been hurt. Overall, it's just an unfortunate situation. But I hope that by talking about it and letting others know about it, we can raise awareness and come together to help take care of this cemetery," Sutton said.
The city does not yet know the total cost of the damage and cannot determine when the three missing fence panels will be replaced. Special parts will have to be ordered for the work.
I hope that if they're okay and alive, they'll have a different perspective on their own lives and how one decision you make can affect a lot of other people," Sutton said.