A video showing Peñitas Police Chief Roel Bermea allegedly telling people to leave a Wednesday food distribution event went viral.

Police said the long line of traffic caused by the food distribution event was causing concerns.

The food distribution event was hosted by Areisy Gomez and her husband. They organized the produce distribution event at their insurance business, Gosa Insurance Advisors, near Tom Gil Road and Expressway 83.

“We just wanted to put food in people's tables,” Gomez said.

Cars started lining up more than an hour before the event started.

“People wouldn't be parking and waiting hours if they weren't in need,” Gomez said.

The turnout to Wednesday’s event was larger than expected. That's when Bermea showed up.

The line of traffic along Tom Gil Road continued onto the expressway, as shown in pictures the city of Peñitas provided to Channel 5 News. 

“It’s a very narrow road,” Bermea said, adding that drivers were on the shoulder and the roadway of Tom Gil Road, which only has one lane in both directions.

“I'm not the bad guy here. I just wanted to make sure everybody was safe — that they didn't cause an accident,” Bermea said. “I never told them to leave. I just told them they needed to move.”

Chief Bermea was seen in the video directing traffic to move along, causing the food distribution event to wrap up early.

Peñitas City Manager Beto Garza came and helped out.

“You have rush hour traffic, people leaving work, people leaving the schools… we've got buses flowing — so it was busy,” Bermea said.

Gomez said she tried reaching out with the city before the event, and was directed to the police department.

Garza said people need to coordinate large events with the Peñitas Planning Department two weeks in advance.

The city said to keep everyone safe, they need to create a traffic and safety plan. Garza said the city has reached out to Gomez to set up a meeting for future food distribution events.

“We do plan on doing another food distribution, which the community of Peñitas needs,” Gomez said.

Watch the video above for the full story.