A driver in North Carolina unexpectedly exited his vehicle on a busy road and struck a construction worker attempting to prevent him from entering a work zone.
Caleb Johnson, tasked with directing traffic, was positioned to manage the flow as he approached an area with closed road signs. He, having adhered to proper protocol, waved his signs in an effort to alert vehicles, yet the driver, who remains unidentified, didn’t stop in time.
Footage reveals that the driver eventually halted just past Johnson and then confronted him aggressively. Reports indicate he struck Johnson with a right hook while dressed in a black shirt, shorts, and a durag.
Johnson managed to absorb the hit and got back up, although he dropped his stop sign in the process. He expressed surprise at the suddenness of the driver’s actions and the nature of his threats.
“I think it was really alarming. The most unsettling part was how confrontational he was,” Johnson commented on the incident.
The construction worker conveyed that it was jarring for someone to act so violently despite the situation being under control.
Luckily, other workers intervened, preventing the driver from proceeding further, but he managed to reverse and escape from the scene.
The crew was able to capture the vehicle’s license plate, which will aid in identifying the driver.
Johnson and his team are contemplating legal action against the individual involved in the attack.
“Why would someone do that?” Johnson questioned.
Traffic flaggers are trained to use their signs in a noticeable manner to ensure the safety of those working near the road, underscoring the crucial role they play in maintaining safety in work zones.
“Simply put, our job is to keep people safe, and the main goal is to stop the vehicles that need to be stopped,” he added.
