Driver charged for crash that destroyed memorial for fallen officer

PULASKI, Va. (WDBJ) - A man has been charged and arrested for a crash that destroyed a roadside memorial for a fallen officer.

John Logan Davidson faces charges of reckless driving, destruction of property and leaving the scene of an accident, according to the Pulaski County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.

The makeshift memorial for Pulaski Sheriff’s Sgt. Perry Hodge, who was hit and killed in a head-on crash in January on Rt. 211, appeared to have been intentionally torn down, according to a post Sunday morning on the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page.

According to the post, sometime between Saturday night into Sunday, deputies believe someone “took it upon themselves to heartlessly destroy the roadside memorial that was set up in honor of our recently lost brother, Sgt. Perry Hodge.”

Sunday’s Facebook post on the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office went on to say: “To whoever did this, let me explain a few things to you. Perry Hodge was one of the absolute best people to ever walk this planet. What he stood for while he walked among us is something that you will never understand, but that does not mean you have to try to besmirch his memory. Perry had a spirit of service to his fellow human beings that you and a thousand like you will never be able to extinguish, and that spirit will ALWAYS live on in the men and women of Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office.”

The memorial has been restored by community members since it was destroyed this past weekend.

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