An 18-year-old boy has been arrested after crashing into a historic Orange County fountain. This was several months after the same fountain was repaired after the 2023 crash.
On Nov. 24, the driver and a 17-year-old passenger were driving eastbound on Chapman Street in Orange just after midnight.
Security footage showed a black Honda CRV speeding down the road on a rainy night before slowing down and entering the Plaza Park roundabout area.
The car went over a curb, knocked down several utility poles and benches, and crashed into the historic fountain in the center of the roundabout.
Video from the scene shows broken benches and pieces of metal pillars littering the square, and an SUV with extensive front-end damage. Some of the tiles around the edge of the fountain were damaged by the impact.
On November 24, 2024, a speeding driver crashed into the fountain at Orange’s historic Plaza Park. (Southern County News) On November 24, 2024, a speeding driver crashed into the fountain at historic Plaza Park in Orange. (Southern County News) A driver crashed into a fountain at historic Plaza Park in Orange on November 24, 2024. (Southern) Counties News) On November 24, 2024, a speeding driver crashed into the historic Plaza Park fountain in Orange. (Southern Counties News) On November 24, 2024, a speeding driver crashed into the fountain at Orange’s historic Plaza Park. (Southern Counties News) ) On November 24, 2024, a speeding driver crashed into the fountain at historic Plaza Park in Orange. (Southern County News) On November 24, 2024, a speeding driver crashed into the fountain at historic Plaza Park in Orange. (Southern County News) On November 24, 2024, a speeding driver crashed into the fountain at historic Plaza Park in Orange. (Southern County News) County News) On Nov. 24, a speeding driver crashed into the fountain at Orange’s historic Plaza Park. 2024. (Southern County News) On November 24, 2024, a speeding driver crashed into the fountain at historic Plaza Park in Orange. (Southern County News) 24, 2024 Repairs are underway again after a speeding driver crashed into Orange’s historic Plaza Park fountain in November. (Orange Police Department) A speeding driver crashed into a fountain at Orange’s historic Plaza Park. November 24, 2024. (Southern County News) On November 24, 2024, a speeding driver crashed into the fountain at Historic Plaza Park in Orange. (Nanbu County News)
Officers later determined that the driver was not under the influence of alcohol. The 18-year-old man, identified by Orange police only as a resident of Rancho Santa Margarita, was arrested on charges of possession of nitrous oxide and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
The driver and passenger suffered only minor injuries, and no other bystanders were injured.
The crash is the second time the Orange Fountain has been damaged recently by a speeding driver.
In March 2023, a carjacking suspect being chased by police crashed into a fountain, causing his car to roll over several times and come to rest near the opposite end of the square.
After months of historic tiling restoration and installation of roundabout safety enhancements, the Plaza Park fountain reopened to the public in April 2024.
Damage seen to the historic Plaza Park fountain after a suspect fleeing from police crashed into the fountain on March 13, 2023. (Orange PD) Damage seen on suspect’s vehicle after collision on March 13, 2023. (Orange PD) A still photo from Orange surveillance footage shows a Hyundai crashing into a Plaza Park fountain after a police pursuit on March 13, 2023.
Plaza Park was designed in 1886 and is referred to by the city as Orange’s “historic core.”
Built in 1937, the fountain has been a focal point of the Old Town Orange neighborhood and has been featured in movies and television shows for nearly 90 years.
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