diff --git a/.jules/bolt.md b/.jules/bolt.md
index b0fee03f..cf769da5 100644
--- a/.jules/bolt.md
+++ b/.jules/bolt.md
@@ -13,3 +13,7 @@
 ## 2025-02-27 - UploadFile Validation Blocking
 **Learning:** `UploadFile` validation using `python-magic` and file seeking is synchronous and CPU/IO bound. In FastAPI async endpoints, this blocks the event loop.
 **Action:** Wrap file validation logic in `run_in_threadpool` and await it.
+
+## 2025-02-28 - Fast Bounding Box Pre-Filter for Geospatial Haversine Searches
+**Learning:** Running `haversine_distance` (which involves multiple trig functions) on large collections of points is slow. Bounding box calculation (`get_bounding_box`) combined with a quick bounding box coordinate comparison (`lat < min_lat`, etc.) avoids computing the distance entirely for points far away.
+**Action:** Always pre-filter coordinate searches using a bounding box before invoking trig-heavy `haversine` distance functions.
diff --git a/backend/main.py b/backend/main.py
index 6697f0ee..1eebbae0 100644
--- a/backend/main.py
+++ b/backend/main.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 import json
 import os
 import io
+import sys
 
 # Add the project root to sys.path so we can import 'backend' modules
 sys.path.append(os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))))
@@ -234,26 +235,11 @@ async def create_issue(
 
         # Offload blocking file I/O to a thread
         def save_file():
-            with open(image_path, "wb") as buffer:
+            with open(file_location, "wb") as buffer:
                 shutil.copyfileobj(image.file, buffer)
 
         await asyncio.to_thread(save_file)
 
-    # Offload blocking DB operations to a thread
-    def save_to_db():
-        new_issue = Issue(
-            description=description,
-            category=category,
-            image_path=image_path,
-            source="web"
-        )
-        db.add(new_issue)
-        db.commit()
-        db.refresh(new_issue)
-        return new_issue
-
-    new_issue = await asyncio.to_thread(save_to_db)
-
         # Generate Action Plan (AI)
         action_plan = await generate_action_plan(description, category, file_location)
 
@@ -268,11 +254,14 @@ def save_to_db():
         db.commit()
         db.refresh(db_issue)
 
-    return {
-        "id": new_issue.id,
-        "message": "Issue reported successfully",
-        "action_plan": action_plan
-    }
+        return {
+            "id": db_issue.id,
+            "message": "Issue reported successfully",
+            "action_plan": action_plan
+        }
+    except Exception as e:
+        logger.error(f"Error creating issue: {e}", exc_info=True)
+        raise HTTPException(status_code=500, detail=str(e))
 
 @lru_cache(maxsize=1)
 def _load_responsibility_map():
diff --git a/backend/spatial_utils.py b/backend/spatial_utils.py
index 8af329a3..aa9964d7 100644
--- a/backend/spatial_utils.py
+++ b/backend/spatial_utils.py
@@ -76,10 +76,22 @@ def find_nearby_issues(
     """
     nearby_issues = []
 
+    # Bolt Optimization: Fast bounding box pre-filter
+    # Use a bounding box to quickly exclude issues far outside the radius
+    # before calculating the expensive Haversine distance. We add a small
+    # 5% epsilon to the radius to prevent missing edge cases due to projection differences.
+    eps = radius_meters * 0.05
+    min_lat, max_lat, min_lon, max_lon = get_bounding_box(target_lat, target_lon, radius_meters + eps)
+
     for issue in issues:
         if issue.latitude is None or issue.longitude is None:
             continue
 
+        # Skip Haversine if clearly outside the bounding box
+        if (issue.latitude < min_lat or issue.latitude > max_lat or
+            issue.longitude < min_lon or issue.longitude > max_lon):
+            continue
+
         distance = haversine_distance(
             target_lat, target_lon,
             issue.latitude, issue.longitude