Insurance Funds, Donations to Restore Virginia Confederate Soldier Statue

May 26, 2008

Almost a year after an errant driver toppled a statue of a Confederate soldier in front of the Franklin County (Virginia) Courthouse, officials are a few steps closer to replacing the statue.

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Police believe a seizure may have been what caused John Ozmore to slam his pickup truck into the nearly 100-year-old statue last June, toppling the local icon and breaking it into pieces.

This week, the Franklin County Board of Supervisors agreed to set up an account to collect insurance money and donations that will pay for the statue's replacement.

The county has received about $62,000 from its own insurance company and a $500 donation from former state Sen. Charles Hawkins of Chatham.

Officials estimate the cost to create a new statue at $163,000.

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Information from: The Roanoke Times, http://www.roanoketimes.com