A man in Charlottesville, Virginia, is facing charges of vandalism after he drew a makeshift crosswalk onto a busy road using chalk.
Kevin Cox is well known in his local area as a pedestrian advocate.
One area that he thinks is particularly perilous for pedestrians is the intersection of Elliot Avenue and Second Street Southeast.
In October 2024, a woman was hit by a car and killed at the intersection.
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“The speed of the cars is the biggest problem,” Cox told 29 News.
“They drive too fast, and they ignore pedestrians.”
Cox has previously reached out to the local authorities in an attempt to get a crosswalk fitted at the spot.
However, when his requests came to nothing, he decided to make his own and grabbed some chalk spray and drew a makeshift crosswalk.
“I walked across the street with a line marker with a can of spray chalk, not paint,” Cox said.
The same day, according to a police report, Cox emailed City Manager Sam Sanders to tell him about the crosswalk.
“There is a marked crosswalk now at Second Street and Elliot Avenue in spite of you… It’s chalk not, paint. Please replace it with a real one,” he wrote.
He told the publication that a small crowd gathered around while he got to work and cheered him on while he made the makeshift crosswalk.
But as well as a crowd of supporters, Cox’s actions also soon attracted the attention of Charlottesville City Hall and the Charlottesville Police Department.
In a police report seen by 29 News, officers said they were unable to determine if the DIY crosswalk was made using permanent paint, and in the end, officials decided to cover it with black paint.
A couple of days later, Cox was contacted by the police in regards to an act of vandalism.
The following day he self-reported to his local police station and discovered he was facing misdemeanor charges for the intentional destruction of property with a value of less than $1,000.
The crime carries a maximum sentence of up to 12 months in jail and a fine of up to $2,500.
Despite this, Cox is resolute.
“They have provoked me, it’s not going to stop me,” he said.
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