New Braunfels, TX WWI “American Doughboy” Memorial Damaged in DWI Crash, Restoration Uncertain

A historic World War I memorial in New Braunfels has sustained substantial damage after a driver, later arrested on DWI charges, crashed into it. The sculpture, depicting a soldier ominously known as the “American Doughboy,” was uprooted from its longstanding place in the town’s Main Plaza on Sunday night, as reported by MySA.

As reported by MySA, Jesse Cudney, 32, veered from the road after allegedly attempting to dodge a deer. The resulting accident not only toppled the statue but also caused minor infrastructure damage to the plaza. Cudney and a female passenger were taken to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries, however, Cudney’s night ended in the Comal County Jail charged with intoxicated driving.

Local police shared with KSAT that Cudney gave a voluntary blood sample which suggested signs of intoxication. The same incident led to urgent repairs in the plaza, particularly to a water sprinkler line severed during the crash.

“I thought they were putting up the Christmas lights, and I thought maybe they were preparing the wiring,” Diana Moltz, a New Braunfels resident upon observing the disrupted plaza told KSAT. Her holiday expectations quickly turned bleak as she learned of the statue’s demise, recalling other crashes that have occurred near the same location.

While the city has yet to release an estimate for the damage caused, residents like Moltz hope the symbolic statue will be restored. The “American Doughboy,” donated by Mr. and Mrs. E.A. Clousnitzer, has stood as a silent guardian to the legacy of the Great War’s servicemen and women for over 86 years, as mentioned by MySA.

David Ferguson, a Public Information Officer for New Braunfels, remarked that while the representation of the soldier is not of a specific individual, it serves as an homage to all who served. “We shouldn’t forget these people for fighting for us,” Moltz echoed the sentiment, according to Ferguson’s conversation with KSAT. The future of the “American Doughboy” remains uncertain as the city navigates the path to possible repair and restoration, as per MySA.

Read the entire article on the Hoodline website.
External Web Site Notice: This page contains information directly presented from an external source. The terms and conditions of this page may not be the same as those of this website. Click here to read the full disclaimer notice for external web sites. Thank you.