Charlottesville, Virginia man Kevin Cox used what he said was spray chalk to create a makeshift pedestrian crossing at an intersection where a fatal accident took place last October.

He subsequently alerted the city council and challenged them to replace it with “a real one”.

Instead, city workers removed his chalk crossing by covering it with black paint.

Mr Cox is now facing a criminal trial for intentional destruction of property with a value of less than $1,000, 29News reports.

He faces a maximum sentence of 12 months’ imprisonment or a fine of up to $2,500 (around £1,850) if convicted.