Columbus statue won’t return to Pittston until the spring

Dec. 10--PITTSTON -- The statue of Christopher Columbus that was knocked off its pedestal Wednesday probably won't be returned to its site until the spring.

Joseph Moskovitz, city administrator, said the statue has been taken to Pesavento Monuments in Scranton for evaluation and repair. The statue appeared to be intact, he said, but city officials wanted to make sure there were no hidden structural problems.

The driver of the vehicle that struck the statue around 6 p.m. Wednesday has been identified as Ronald Chacko, a Pittston resident, according to Moskovitz. Chacko was released from the hospital Thursday, Moskovitz said

"This remains an ongoing investigation," he said. "We intend to put the statue back in its place at the bottom of Columbus Avenue at the intersection of Kennedy Boulevard and South Main Street."

The city has been looking into its liability regarding the statue, Moskovitz said. He met with representatives of the city's insurance carrier at the site on Thursday.

The fallen statue was hoisted from Chacko's vehicle by Red's Service Co. of Pittston, and the vehicle was towed from the scene by Bovanni Towing Co., also of Pittston., Moskovitz said.

The Chacko vehicle struck the base of the statue, causing it to turn 180 degrees, topple and land atop the car.

The statue is made of Italian marble and is valued at $250,000. A group of Italian-American families from the Pittston area donated the statue in 1969, Moskovitz said.

"It's one-of-a-kind," he said. "It didn't appear to be seriously damaged, but we want Pesavento Monuments to look at it and make any repairs, such as scratches."

Moskovitz doesn't expect the statue to be returned to its site until the spring, he said. Staffers from the city will talk to state Department of Transportation officials about making some changes to the site.

"Whatever we decide to do will probably need PennDOT approval," Moskovitz said. "It's important that it goes back to where it was, but we may need to make some adjustments to the site."

There will be aesthetic changes to the site, he said, as well as possible changes to improve safety.

Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.

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