The Delaware Department of Transportation’s (DelDOT) removal of a basketball pole from the McCafferty family’s cul-de-sac residence has caused a big controversy in the state of Delaware.

To view the details and video footage of the story, click here.

To view IBTimes' interview with McCafferty, click here.

Initially, DelDOT did not respond to media inquiries from IBTimes and other publications. Now, they have issued a statement about the incident. Below is the full text:

“DelDOT is sympathetic to parents wishing to provide young people with recreational opportunities; however, public streets are not a safe location for those activities. The Delaware General Assembly passed a law in 2005 stating sporting and recreation activity taking place in and adjacent to the State's public rights-of-way . threatens the safety of the recreants as well as members of the motoring public, and that law stated that the Department shall make every effort to remove from public rights-of-way devices such as basketball hoops.. 17 Del. C. § 149(c).

DelDOT crews acted on Friday March 25, to remove seven basketball goals within public right-of-way in the Ashbourne Hills and Radnor Green subdivisions in New Castle County. DelDOT did so only after receiving a complaint from a resident of the area in which the basketball hoops were located.

Since that time, the eight homeowners with basketball hoops in violation of state law were contacted multiple times via certified mail about the need to remove the obstacles from the public right-of-way zone. One resident voluntarily did so. The remainder did not. Because the basketball hoops were not removed, state law requires that DelDOT remove the goals to protect the public. The final goal was successfully removed by the state at approximately noon on March 25.”

Basketball