Four Corbin teenagers are facing criminal charges for allegedly vandalizing a newly poured stretch of sidewalk on Seventeenth Street Friday afternoon.
Gary Kelly, a supervisor with the city’s Public Works Department, said the section of concrete sidewalk just behind Owen’s Auto Service had only been drying for about two hours when a Whitley County Sheriff’s Deputy said he noticed kids writing in the wet concrete and sticking their hands in it.
Corbin Police Officer David Maiden found the four teenagers responsible in a home near where the damage was done. After some denials, stern questioning produced admissions of guilt from at least one of the juveniles. The children ranged in age from 12 to 16-years-old.
"Officer Maiden put a little pressure on them and one of the girls, she cracked," Kelly said. "She started breaking down a little bit and crying and told him what happened."
Kelly said the damage probably cost the city about $400. Concrete workers were able to fix it since the concrete was still pliable enough to shape.
"It takes about six to eight hours worth of drying before it is too hard to really mess it up," Kelly said. "We can work it out but it won’t look as good as it would have."
Kelly said he hopes the juveniles will be made to do some community service to pay for the damage.
Officials say it is common for children, particularly, to vandalize drying concrete on new sidewalks.
