Speeding 18-year-old driver crashes into historic fountain in Orange County

An 18-year-old was arrested after crashing into a historic fountain in Orange County, months after the same fountain was restored after a 2023 crash.

On Nov. 24, the driver, along with a 17-year-old passenger, was driving eastbound on Chapman Avenue in the city of Orange just after midnight.

Security footage showed the black Honda CRV speeding down the road on a rainy night before entering the Plaza Park roundabout area without slowing down.

The vehicle drove over the curb, struck down several poles and a bench before slamming into the historic fountain at the center of the roundabout.

Video from the scene showed the SUV sustained heavy front-end damage as debris from the broken bench and metal poles were scattered across the plaza. Some tiles on the fountain’s edge were damaged during the impact.

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