Man to Pay $2,500 Fine for Altering Sespe Creek

A Fillmore man who used a truckload of concrete to alter a portion of Sespe Creek in front of his home has agreed to pay a $2,500 fine, a prosecutor said this week.

William Leo Douglas allegedly failed to obtain the proper permit to alter the waterway in late 1999. He wanted to make the changes because of flooding problems caused by the creek, the prosecutor said.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Laurel McWaters said Douglas, 60, has restored most of the stream bed to its original form and is continuing to comply with a court agreement that outlines what alterations can be made.

As part of the civil judgment that was reached last week, Douglas did not admit any wrongdoing but agreed to give $1,250 to a county fish and wildlife fund and $1,250 to a state fish and game preservation fund.