Arnold Schwarzenegger recently found himself in the middle of a controversy over his attempts to fill what he believed was a pothole near his Los Angeles residence. Recording the process of filling the pothole with quick-drying cement and sand, the former California governor described his actions on Twitter stating, “Today, after the whole neighborhood has been upset about this giant pothole that’s been screwing up cars and bicycles for weeks, I went out with my team and fixed it. I always say, let’s not complain, let’s do something about it. Here you go.” See the video for yourself here: Twitter

However, his self-proclaimed civic duty was short-lived. Despite the actor’s efforts to fix the “giant pothole”, he was later informed by the authorities that the supposed pothole was, in fact, a necessary service trench for an important project done by SoCal Gas, the natural gas utility company. With the company needing the trench reopened to complete the contract, Schwarzenegger’s actions, which he claimed were intended to help the neighborhood, backfired.

This is not the first time a celebrity has taken it upon themselves to fix potholes. Last year, singer Rod Stewart posted videos of himself filling in holes near his property, frustrated his Ferrari was unable to pass through. In Schwarzenegger’s case, however, it is not potholes, but utility company trenches that need to be left untouched by outsiders.

Although the intentions might have been good, his actions might have resulted in the opposite of the desired outcome. In a statement to NBC News, authorities made it clear that they do not support Schwarzenegger’s actions, stating, “This location is not a pothole. It’s a service trench that relates to active, permitted work being performed at the location by SoCal Gas, who expects the work to be completed by the end of May. As is the case with similar projects impacting city streets, SoCal Gas will be required to repair the area once their work is completed.”

Schwarzenegger did not release a statement on the matter.

In a world where social media has the ability to reach millions, such endeavors to create panacea only complicate matters for those authorized to perform the task. Living up to his famous catchphrase, “I'll be back” might not have been the best idea this time.