Police hunt donut-driving vandal at Kate Sessions

Donuts at Kate Sessions? Not the Delicious Kind.

Someone apparently decided that Pacific Beach's beloved Kate Sessions Park was the perfect spot to rip donuts in the grass late at night, and the community is not having it.

San Diego police are now asking for the public's help after tire tracks and muddy divots were discovered carved into the park's normally pristine lawn. A city employee reported the damage Tuesday, though exactly when it happened remains unclear. One witness, park regular Norma Hawkins, says she saw a car doing donuts around 11 p.m. one Friday night and couldn't believe what she was watching.

For a lot of San Diegans, Kate Sessions is practically sacred ground. The 79-acre hilltop park at Soledad Road and Lamont Street — named after the horticulturalist who helped plant Balboa Park and is often called the Mother of San Diego's greenery — draws families for birthday parties, morning dog walks, sunset picnics, football practice, and summer concerts. On a clear day, the views of Mission Bay, the Pacific, and downtown are straight-up postcard material.

That's what makes this so frustrating. Mike Kehoe, who brings his football team the Brown Bears there regularly, put it simply: who would ruin this for everyone? Bob Ryan, another park regular, said he's worried about twisted ankles and kids getting hurt on the torn-up turf.

SDPD Officer Anthony Carrasco confirmed the damage appears to be limited to the grassy area and said the city's parks and recreation team is working on repairs. A damage estimate hasn't been completed yet, and police currently have no suspects and no video footage.

This apparently isn't even the first time it's happened at Kate Sessions. Locals say the city is good about fixing it, but the consensus is clear — fix it or not, it just shouldn't happen at all.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact SDPD.

Sources: NBC San Diego | FOX 5 San Diego