A truck driver was arrested after his tractor-trailer caused major damage at Spring Hill Cemetery in Charleston, West Virginia, on Sunday, May 18th.
The situation: Police say 43-year-old Sean Michael Koppenhoefer, from Missouri and driving for Central Expedited Inc., entered the cemetery with his rig and ended up striking a retaining wall, several gravestones, and drainage systems while trying to turn around.
- Koppenhoefer got stuck in a tight spot, then reportedly detached his trailer and abandoned it in the cemetery.
- Records show the damage was more than $10,000, and the truck had to be pulled out backwards from a narrow drive.
- The trailer was left behind just days before Memorial Day, when many folks visit the graves of loved ones.
Local reaction: Some families rushed to the site to check if their relatives' headstones had been hit. "It’s unbelievable what he did," said Drema Bennett, who found her family's plots unharmed.
The legal outcome: Koppenhoefer was charged with felony destruction of property. He's being held in the South Central Regional Jail on $25,000 bond, according to WCHS.
Police said the trucking company was cooperative during the investigation. As of now, it's not clear why Koppenhoefer went into the cemetery or ignored posted signs, but GPS troubles could have played a part.