A 19-year-old New Jersey man was charged with felony vandalism after a Smokey statue was heavily damaged outside Neyland Stadium, according to the University of Tennessee Police Department.
The statue was damaged early Oct. 10. The man is not affiliated with the university and was visiting friends on campus, police said.
The Smokey statue's head was broken off its body and laying on the sidewalk. The statue was covered with a white tarp and secured with duct tape wrapped around it, and the head of the dog was clearly missing from the statue. A gate was set up around the statue to prevent further damage.
Police used surveillance video footage to track the suspect and his companions to a fraternity house and interviewed members, who helped identify
the visitor, according to online court records.
Police called the suspect as he drove home, and he agreed to be interviewed by police on his campus. The suspect admitted to police he kicked the statue, records show.
There are Smokey statues across Tennessee's campus, each one representing one of the bluetick coonhounds that have served as the Vols' mascot over the years. Smokey XII made his debut this season as the first rescue dog to assume the role.
The Smokey statue that was damaged was Smokey I, the first dog to be the Vols' mascot. The plaque in front of the statue says: "PR Brooks Blue Smokey first appeared at the Duke game in 1953 and served through the 1954 season."
This is a developing story and will be updated.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: 19-year-old faces felony charge after Smokey statue damaged at Neyland Stadium
