Chicago man fed up with speed bump behind home, takes pickax to it and faces $500 fine

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A Chicago resident fed up with the speed bump behind his home took matters into his own hands and incurred a $500 ticket in the process. 

Nicolas Benitez complained to his alderman's office and then took a pickax to the asphalt speed bump behind his garage in his Brighton Park home, an action some frustrated residents may look at as heroic, the Chicago Tribune reported. 

"I did one piece today, another tomorrow. Little by little I took it out," he told the newspaper. 

Fox News has reached out to Benitez and Alderman Raymond Lopez. Benitez claims the speed bump had damaged the suspension on his car and trapped ice and snow in the winter months. 

His act of defiance has resulted in a $500 ticket for damaging city property. Benitz said he plans to fight it in court. 

In a tweet accompanied with an image of the ripped-up speed bump, Lopez urged residents not to act on their own. 

"This man wasn’t happy about a speed bump," he wrote. "It has been in his alley for a decade. He removed it on his own & earned a $500 fine and a court case in the process."

The photo appears to show Lopez looking at the hole where the bump used to be. The asphalt can be seen stacked neatly off to the side. 

Lopez told the paper that if Benitez had an issue with the speed bump, his office could have looked to see if money was available to remove it. 

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In addition to the fine, Benitez could be on the hook for replacing the asphalt he removed.