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Driver intentionally hits road worker, according to WSP

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Officials with the Washington State Patrol said a driver intentionally hit a road worker with his car Wednesday morning, then took off from the scene.

"He was very angry, belligerent, not very happy,” said Dean Russell, a traffic control laborer.

Russell described the demeanor of the driver he said intentionally hit his co-worker with a car.

"I don't even understand what's going through somebody's head when they do something like that. Just doesn't make sense to me,” said James Hale, a traffic control supervisor.

WSP got the call around 7:30 a.m. Troopers rushed to the corner of State Route 8 and Summit Lake Road in Olympia and used a drone to investigate the scene.

"This was a determined individual that wanted to get his way to come out here and drive on his normal route,” said Sgt. Larry Bradeen.

Witnesses said the driver blew through barricades, which blocked wet pavement. He didn't listen when workers told him to stop.

"I see my co-worker go out in front of the car to make sure he didn't go anywhere, and that's when the car lurched forward and struck my co-worker and then turned around and took off,” said Russell.

The car hit the worker in the knees. Russell said his friend was in a lot of pain.

"He was visibly shaking, physically, and adrenaline way up here. Little bit angry, little bit angry,” he said.

WSP said a passenger in the fleeing car called police. Officers arrested the suspect in Tumwater. He now faces felony hit-and-run charges.

"We're not here to cause problems, we're here to solve problems. That's assault, and that guy's going to go to jail,” said Hale. "He deserves to go to jail."

The road worker was taken to a hospital. His co-workers said he is expected to recover.

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