A defendant was tearing up a stretch of pavement with a jackhammer when a rock flew up and struck a plaintiff in the head, causing him to be hospitalized. Because the jackhammer manufacturer had been out of business for several years, the plaintiff filed a lawsuit for his medical costs, lost work time, and pain and suffering solely against the defendant. At trial, the plaintiff's attorney calls a witness who testifies that, at the time of the incident, the defendant stated, "It was my fault." The defense attorney objects, but the judge overrules the objection on the ground that this is a declaration against interest. Are the grounds for the judge's decision correct?