The northwest lawn now bears deep tire ruts, broken sod and more after a vehicle seemingly tore up the rain-soaked open space overnight March 14 to 15.
Staff at the Mt. Soledad Memorial Association, the city of San Diego and the San Diego Police Department are seeking information about a vehicle that caused damage to the northwest lawn at Mount Soledad Memorial Park on La Jolla Scenic Drive South.
Overnight from March 14 to 15, a vehicle entered the park and drove doughnuts over the lawn, leaving deep tire ruts and destroying large sections of sod.
The vehicle “basically chewed up the grass with the tires,” Mount Soledad Memorial Association Executive Director Neil O’Connell said.
The damage, reported by the Mount Soledad Memorial Association’s morning docent, “couldn’t come at a worse time,” O’Connell said, as “it’s spring break and visitors are here from all over the country visiting the memorial,” which honors more than 6,600 military service members living and deceased.
Security camera footage revealed very little since March 14 was rainy and foggy, O’Connell said. “We have nothing more than [darkness] and car tail lights.”
Anyone with information is urged to click here or call San Diego County Crimestoppers at (888) 580–8477.
“We always want to keep the memorial in pristine condition,” O’Connell said. “We’re very disappointed. … It’s unacceptable conduct.”
The association is working with the city’s Parks & Recreation Department, which oversees the public land where the vandalism occurred (the memorial itself is privately owned).
O’Connell estimates the damage at several thousand dollars.
“You don’t have the right to come in on public space and destroy it and vandalize it,” he said.
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