Refused by His City, Man Jailed for Painting a Crosswalk
Whitney Stump's homemade crosswalk, as seen on Google Maps
Whitney Stump was tired of drivers ignoring stop signs at an intersection in his Muncie, Indiana neighborhood. After futile attempts to get the city to install crosswalks, Stump took matters into his own hands and painted one in at the corner of Dicks and North streets. Then he got arrested.
WRTV in Indianapolis reports:
Stump, a 27-year-old Ball State University graduate student and father,says he was arrested in July on a charge of criminal mischief forcreating the crosswalk at the intersection of Dicks and North streets.A police officer then warned him after he went back to touch up thepaint in August, and the county prosecutor decided to charge him again.
"If they're not going to provide a safe environment for me and my community, then I believe I have a moral obligation," Stump told 6News' Ray Cortopassi on Wednesday.
Stump said he first asked the city to do the job, thinking crosswalks would get drivers' attentions and make them aware they needed to slow down.
"I called the street and sign department probably a half-dozen times in the course of six months (to) a year," he said.
The city of Muncie says the intersection in question doesn't meet the criteria for crosswalk installation because it isn't near a school.
Stump missed a court date after he was charged the second time, which led to a 10-hour jail stint. But he says he plans to paint in additional crosswalks at the other three spokes of Dicks and North.
Stay in touch
Sign up for our free newsletter
More from Streetsblog New York City
Friday’s Headlines: Canal Street Follies Edition
Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine isn't happy. Plus other news.
Daylight Again: Bronx Community Board Backs Parking Ban at Intersections
The Boogie Down is down with daylighting!
Community Board Wants Protected Bike Lane on Empire Blvd.
Brooklyn Community Board 9 wants city to upgrade Empire Boulevard's frequently blocked bike lane, which serves as a gateway to Prospect Park.
The Brake: Why We Can’t End Violence on Transit With More Police
Are more cops the answer to violence against transit workers, or is it only driving societal tensions that make attacks more frequent?
Report: Road Violence Hits Record in First Quarter of 2024
Sixty people died in the first three months of the year, 50 percent more than the first quarter of 2018, which was the safest opening three months of any Vision Zero year.
