SAN MARCOS, Calif. -- Neighbors in a San Marcos neighborhood that backs up to San Marcos High School claim a group of seditious students are throwing rocks and eggs at their homes, making their lives hell.
Resident Patricia Hilty and several other neighbors told 10News Friday that some students are using their neighborhood as a parking lot, then trespassing on Vallecitos Water District property to jump a chain link fence to get to school.
“The residents feel they have PTSD,” neighbor Patricia Hilty said.
“You can see it’s clearly stated, no trespassing,” neighbor Gina Austin said.
Austin said they support the high school and the students as a whole. However, the problems are stemming from a few dozen “troublemakers.”
Some of the alleged crimes have been caught on surveillance camera.
“They will go in and vandalize the property,” Austin said. “Pick these stones up and throw them at the houses.”
Hilty claims some homes were egged this week. Austin said her home was burglarized.
“It’s mob rule when these kids are in our neighborhood,” Hilty said.
A neighbor standing in the street calling San Marcos police was allegedly hit by a student who was driving a pickup truck.
“One of the students after school ran into him with a Durango truck,” Austin said.
The San Diego County District Attorney’s Office did not file charges against the teen driver, Austin said.
Neighbors allege the so-called feud has been ongoing for about 15 years. The harassment has been picked up and passed down to other students, they say. Neighbors have repeatedly asked school officials to help. Hilty has a thick binder dating back to 2002 with every email exchange, newspaper clipping and photo of suspected offenders. The records include assurances from San Marcos Unified School District officials that the problems will be resolved.
Austin and Hilty say nothing has been done and the vandalism is getting worse.
“Find some way to give an incentive for all the students at San Marcos Unified School District to park in a school parking lot, please,” Hilty told 10News.
San Marcos Unified School District communications coordinator Anna Lucia Roybal sent 10News the following statement:
“San Marcos Unified School District holds high behavioral expectations for our students and has always cooperated with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department regarding student disciplinary issues on and off campus. When an instance of possible vandalism in the surrounding community has been brought to our attention, it has been investigated and students are disciplined to the extent that we are allowed. Previous vandalism allegations have been investigated and dismissed by the sheriff’s department.“San Marcos High School has approximately 3,200 students and is one of the largest comprehensive high schools in North County. Every student is able to receive a permit to park on campus if they have taken a Start Smart class, given by the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, as well as show proof of current registration and valid insurance.“Although the district has not been notified of ongoing vandalism reports this school year or threats issued to Lake San Marcos residents, we value our community and welcome an opportunity to discuss these issues with the affected residents.”
