The couple had parked near Izola Bakery at 1429 Island Avenue around 12:30 p.m. on December 6, where they say they paid for parking before running inside to pick up baked goods. According to the driver, who contacted SanDiegoVille under the username @veep1989, the interaction began roughly 20 minutes later when a parking enforcement officer approached their vehicle.
In messages shared with SanDiegoVille, Vanessa says the officer walked up, marked their tire with chalk, and then immediately began writing a citation claiming the vehicle had exceeded the two-hour parking limit - despite the fact that the car had been parked for less than half an hour. She says the officer “pretended to inspect” the chalk mark he had just made moments earlier, apparently attempting to justify the ticket.
Tesla’s Sentry Mode captured the entire sequence, and the couple says that once they informed the officer their video showed him marking the tire and issuing the citation moments apart, his demeanor changed. “When he learned that Teslas record everything, he took the ticket from us and said he would ask his supervisor to cancel it,” Vanessa said. She and her partner came forward, she added, not out of anger but concern that others may have been cited similarly.
Following publication of the couple’s account, the San Diego Police Department - which oversees parking enforcement - provided an official statement. SDPD Public Information Officer Cesar Jimenez confirmed that the department “was recently made aware of this incident and has launched an internal investigation to determine what happened.” Jimenez stated that a citation was in fact issued but has since been dismissed, and that the employee involved has been working in the role for only two months. He also encouraged any member of the public who believes they received a citation in error to file an appeal online, with instructions available on the citation itself or at sandiego.gov/parking.
The case comes amid mounting frustration from residents over parking enforcement practices in dense neighborhoods such as East Village, Hillcrest, and North Park, where turnover rules, inconsistent signage, and heavy enforcement frequently generate conflict. California law classifies the intentional issuance of a knowingly false citation as potential official misconduct, though SDPD has not yet indicated what disciplinary measures, if any, may result from this ongoing review.
Izola Bakery has become an increasingly popular weekend destination, often surrounded by high foot traffic and active parking enforcement. Vanessa says she hopes sharing her story encourages greater oversight and transparency. “This could have happened to anyone who wasn’t recording,” she said. “We just want people to be aware.”
This is a developing story and will be updated as the investigation continues.
Originally published on December 8, 2025.
