In El Segundo, at the intersection of Loma Vista Street & Acacia Avenue, something kept happening that no parent should ever have to witness close calls, near accidents, and moments where children were put at real risk.

Imagine watching your child almost get hit by a car. Imagine seeing it happen more than once. Imagine raising concerns, asking for help, and waiting… only for nothing to change.

That is the position one father, Joseph Brandlin, found himself in.

After repeated safety concerns and near-misses at this intersection, he took action. Not for attention. Not for recognition. But because he believed something had to be done before someone got seriously hurt. Using his own money, he installed stop signs and repainted markings in an effort to slow traffic and protect the community.

Instead of the intersection being fixed, he was arrested. He is now facing criminal charges.

This raises a serious and troubling question: how does a situation reach the point where a parent feels the need to act alone to protect children and then becomes the one punished for it?

This is not about encouraging people to take the law into their own hands. Traffic control must be handled by proper authorities. But when a known safety concern goes unaddressed, and a community member steps in out of genuine concern, the response should not ignore the underlying danger.

Across the United States, intersections are among the most dangerous places for pedestrians. According to national traffic safety data, thousands of pedestrian injuries occur every year at intersections, many involving children in residential areas. These incidents are often preventable with proper signage, traffic calming measures, and timely response from local authorities.

When those systems fail, the consequences are real.

In this case, the focus should not be solely on punishment. It should be on prevention. It should be on ensuring that this intersection and others like it are made safe before tragedy occurs.

No parent should have to choose between doing nothing and risking a child’s safety or stepping in and facing criminal charges.

We are calling for a fair and reasonable response. We are calling for accountability that makes sense.

Our request is simple:
Fix the intersection.
Review the charges.
Listen to the community.

If you believe that protecting children should never lead to punishment, and that public safety must come first, add your name to this petition.

-JusticeBeforeProfit