That's a bummer, Peter. Well handled, though.
My kid blasted the neighbor's mailbox on the way home from work Saturday night. Just a little dent in his hood (an old F150) but it mangulated the mailbox, post and all. I was thrilled with how he and the neighbor handled it. I went to run interference, but didn't have to do or say anything.
The guy only wanted 60 bucks because it had been hit by the plow and they were getting a new and less expensive one anyway. They'd paid $150 for the one the boy wasted. The boy gave him $150, and insisted on it saying "I didn't smash the $60 one". I was very pleased with him, too.