Pacifica City Council candidate arrested after vandalizing sign opposing him: police

PACIFICA, Calif. (KGO) -- A Pacifica City Council candidate was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor vandalism after a trail camera captured him spray-painting a sign opposing his candidacy, according to the sign's owner and police.

The incident occurred Friday afternoon, Oct. 2, near Rockaway Beach, where a sign on private property read, "I WOULD PREFER THAT SAM NOT SERVE ON CITY COUNCIL."

Video from a trail camera shows a man spray-painting over the word "NOT" and replacing it with a heart.

The sign had already been vandalized once before. After restoring it, owner David Blackman installed trail cameras to monitor the property so you can imagine his surprise when he saw someone back again.

"I pulled up the cameras and we saw somebody on the cameras wearing Adidas shorts and three stripes," Blackman said.

Blackman said that while walking up to the sign, he encountered a man wearing the same clothing walk away.

That man was Pacifica City Council candidate Sam Casillas, the subject of the sign.

According to Blackman, Casillas called police.

Officers ultimately arrested Casillas instead.

The city said that on Oct. 2 at approximately 4:46 p.m., Pacifica police officers responded to the area of San Pedro Avenue and Grand Avenue after receiving a report of vandalism to a campaign sign.

According to the city, Casillas was placed under citizen's arrest for misdemeanor vandalism.

Police accepted the arrest and issued him a notice to appear in court.

When asked whether he wanted Casillas arrested, Blackman said no. "Absolutely not. That doesn't seem appropriate use of 911. I would have kept it to the media," he said.

Casillas later released a video apologizing for his actions.

"I felt negative signs that have gone up around town are ridiculous. And I painted the heart to bring some humor and levity to the situation," Casillas said.

He also provided a statement that read in part: "When I knocked on doors, I was heartened to find that voters do not care about my heart being painted in the wrong place because my heart is in the right place when it comes to Pacifica."

Blackman said his intent in displaying the sign was to encourage discussion about the election and the candidates.

The incident has since become a topic of conversation in the coastal community, drawing attention to both the campaign and the debate surrounding the sign.