Driver refuses to toe the line in Penticton construction zone

PENTICTON – A traffic flagger in Penticton had a close call after dealing with an irrate motorist on a cell phone last week.

Penticton RCMP spokeperson Cpl. Don Wrigglesworth says a traffic flagger's foot was run over while working on the Lee Avenue/Skaha Lake Road water main project on April 25.

Traffic was stopped for a dump truck and when traffic started to move again, the flagger noticed a motorist who was engaged on his cell phone and not moving. The flagger asked the driver to put the cell phone away before driving through the construction zone.

Wrigglesworth says the driver refused and began yelling and cursing before driving through the construction zone and running over the flagger’s foot. Fortunately, the flagger was wearing steel-toed boots and was uninjured.

Other motorists behind the driver witnessed the incident, and a license plate was obtained.

The driver was spoken to by police and issued a violation ticket for driving without due care under the Motor Vehicle Act, Wrigglesworth says.

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