Pothole Picasso: Jamestown man charged after highlighting potholes

One Chautauqua County man is on a mission to make his neighborhood safer.

But that mission left him in trouble with the law.

A CHAUTAUQUACOUNTY MAN ON AMISSION TO MAKE HISNEIGHBORHOODSAFER... HAS LEFT HIMIN TROUBLE WITH THELAW.AS 7 EYEWITNESSNEWS REPORTERTAYLOR EPPS SHOWSUS -- DEPUTIESCHARGED THE MAN --AFTER HE SPRAYPAINTED CIRCLESAROUND WHAT HECONSIDERED TO BEDANGEROUS POTHOLES.TIMOTHY LUKE HASLIVED IN BROOKSIDEESTATES MOBILEHOME PARK INJAMESTOWN SINCE1985..HE USUALLY GOES BYTIM, BUT NEIGHBORSARE CALLING HIM ANEW NAME..TIM "I AM THE POTHOLEPICASSO."OVER THE PAST FEWYEARS, HE'S SEEN THEPARK ROADSDETERIORATE..TIM "WE'VECOMPLAINED FORYEARS ABOUT THEPOTHOLES.

MAYBEONCE A YEAR THEY'LLDO A COLD PATCHAROUND ONE OFTHESE."BUT HE SAYS THEDAMAGE JUST GETSWORSE..SO HE TOOK MATTERSINTO HIS OWN HANDS.TIM "THE OTHERMORNING I JUST GOTSICK AND TIRED OF ITAND I JUST DECIDED TOTAKE SOME WHITEPAINT, GO RIGHTAROUND THE EDGE OFTHE POTHOLE, TOMAKE IT VISIBLE, SO NOONE GETS HURT!"IT TOOK HIM MORETHAN AN HOUR..HE CONTINUED UNTILHE RAN OUT OFPAINT..TIM "THE NEXT THING IKNOW, I'VE GOT THEPOLICE OVER HERE ONSUNDAY."THEY HANDED HIMTHIS..AN COURTAPPEARANCE TICKET.ACCORDING TO THECHAUTAUQUA COUNTYSHERIFF'S OFFICE,PARK MANAGERSCALLED POLICE ANDASKED THEM TOPRESS CHARGES.SHERIFF PHONER "THECHARGES WERE FORCRIMINAL MISCHIEFAND FOR DAMAGEDONE TO THEPAVEMENT BY PUTTINGTHE PAINT ON THERE."TIM "I DON'T KNOWWHAT TO SAY.

I DOSOMETHING TO HELPTHE PEOPLE OUT.

I'MDISABLED AND I'VEGOTTA DEAL WITHTHIS?

I'M GETTING TOTHE POINT I CAN'T TAKEIT ANYMORE."SHERIFF QUATTRONESAYS THIS IS PART OFAN ONGOING DISPUTEBETWEEN TENANTSAND PARK MANAGERS.BRANDI "EVERYDAY IS ANEW ISSUE IN HERE.NO MATTER WHO WECOMPLAIN TO, WE CANFILE THE COMPLAINTALL WE WANT TO.

ALLWE DO IS GETRETALIATED AGAINST."7 EYEWITNESS NEWSREACHED OUT TO THEPROPERTY MANAGERSFOR A COMMENT BUTHAVE NOT YET HEARDBACK..THE SHERIFF'S OFFICESAYS IT'S IN TALKSWITH THE DISTRICTATTORNEY'S OFFICETO WORK THROUGHTHE SITUATION.BUT LUKE IS STILLCONCERNED ABOUTWHAT'S NEXT FOR THEROADS.TIM "I DON'T KNOWWHAT TO DO.

I WASHOPING THERE WASSOMEBODY IN THISWORLD WHO WOULDHELP."IN JAMESTOWN,TAYLOR EPPS, 7EWN.