Driver in Crash That Burned Down Ed’s Chicken in Dewey Beach Pleads Guilty

ED RIGGIN WAS THE OWNER OF ED'S CHICKEN AND CRAB FOR OVER 35 YEARS. AND IN ONE HORRIBLE NIGHT LAST AUGUST. HE LOST EVERYTHING. ED "I wasn't too clear what was going on and I went down there and saw the blaze and the fireman arrived and I knew it was gone at that time." MICHELLE SMALL WAS INTOXICATED WHEN SHE CRASHED HER CAR INTO THE CRAB SHACK LAST SUMMER. ed "I was going to quit at the end of this year but it came a year early. It was a horrible way to come you know I had no time to prepare for it." SMALL PLEADED GUILTY TO TWO MISDEMEANOR CHARGES IN A SUSSEX COUNTY COURTROOM THIS MORNING. THE CHARGES CARRY A MAXIMUM SENTENCE UP TO TWO YEARS. SHE ALSO FACES FINES AND RESTITUTION IN THE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. RIGGIN SAYS IT'S IN THE COURTS HANDS AND HE IS NOT BITTER. ED "Whatever the law states. You can't be bitter. You can't cry over spilled milk, It is done, it is finished. That part of my life it was gone. I didn't like the way it ended but that is how it is." DEWEY RESIDENT PALMER YERKES WITNESSED THE FIRE THAT NIGHT. HE SAYS SMALL SHOULD PAY SOME SORT OF PRICE. PALMER "I don't necessary think she should go to jail but she should definitely be fined and sued...I don't know the money value of it." RIGGIN SAYS HE HAS NOT CONSIDERED SUING SMALL. ED "I wish her well and I hope she has learned a lesson and perhaps she has." RIGGIN SAYS HE HAS NO PLANES TO REBUILT HIS ONCE LANDMARK RESTAURANT. IN DEWEY BEACH IM AJ CLEMENTE FOR WRDE DELMARVA'S OWN NBC STATION...---