California Father Facing Multiple Felony Charges After Illegally Renovating Dangerous El Segundo Intersection

A California father faces felony charges after spending 1,000 dollars to illegally turn a two way stop into a four way intersection for safety.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 25, 2026, 4:16 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from CBS News

Midnight Intervention at Loma Vista Street

A lifelong resident of the South Bay area recently took extreme measures to address what he describes as a neglected and hazardous intersection near a local park. Joseph Brandlin, a single father, reportedly invested approximately 1,000 dollars of his personal funds to purchase professional grade 30 inch high intensity stop signs and eight foot stencils. His objective was to forcibly upgrade the crossing at Loma Vista Street and West Acacia Avenue, which he claims has been the site of numerous near misses and safety concerns for families in the neighborhood.

Police Confrontation During Unauthorized Roadwork

The transition from concerned citizen to criminal suspect occurred during the early hours of a March morning when law enforcement observed Brandlin performing illicit maintenance. Authorities discovered the man in the middle of the night as he was actively repainting crosswalks and mounting the new signage. This discovery led to an immediate arrest and a night of incarceration at the Hawthorne Jail, marking a sharp escalation in a long running dispute between residents and city planners over the technical status of the roadway.

Felony Allegations and Property Theft

Following the incident, the legal system has leveled serious accusations against the El Segundo man, including counts of felony vandalism and grand theft. The theft charge specifically relates to the alleged misappropriation of traffic cones from a nearby construction site to facilitate the unauthorized work zone. Despite the gravity of these charges, Brandlin maintains a defiant stance, suggesting that the risk of a fatal accident at the downhill intersection justifies his decision to bypass official government channels and take direct action.