Man arrested after argument over mayoral campaign signs in Tucker

An argument between two Tucker residents led to an arrest and accusations of campaign sign removal, racial slurs and the brandishing of firearms.

Giancarlos Tsitsilianos faces counts of simple battery and misdemeanor property damage after Dekalb County police said he slapped a cellphone out of Correll Bilbrew’s hand, breaking the phone. The incident took place while the two men were arguing over Tucker mayoral candidate signs.

Bilbrew accused Tsitsilianos of removing signs for mayoral candidate Robin Biro from the BP gas station off Lilburn-stone Mountain Road, where several campaign signs were planted, including signs for incumbent Frank Auman. Bilbrew told The Atlanta Journal-constitution on Monday that he placed Biro’s signs there with permission from the gas station’s owner.

He said Tsitsilianos claimed he was the owner, but he gave up after Bilbrew called the actual business owner, who was out of town at the time.

“So the guy (Tsitsilianos) threw the signs down and said, ‘(expletive) you,” Bilbrew said, adding that the suspect used a racial slur. “I went into my pocket to grab my cellphone, and I said, ‘Hey, call me (racial slur) one more time.’”

Bilbrew said Tsitsilianos knocked the phone on the ground, damaging it. Bilbrew added the suspect lifted up his shirt to show that he had a handgun during the incident.

Police said investigators verified the broken phone but were not able to confirm the rest of the account. An investigation is ongoing. Dekalb jail records show Tsitsilianos was released the day after his arrest.

Biro, who came to the scene

Friday after police arrived, said the incident does not represent Tucker’s values. He also called on Auman to condemn what took place.

“We are all Tucker neighbors, and we should all strive to treat our neighbors as we would ourselves desire to be treated, because that’s Tucker — this ugly incident is not,” he told the AJC.