Four people were struck by what RCMP describe as an “impatient driver” during a march to raise awareness about residential schools in Mission on Saturday.
Two people were treated in hospital for minor injuries, according to police.
The incident happened around 12:30 p.m., as the second annual March for Recognition, organized by the Crazy Indians Brotherhood, BC, was proceeding eastbound on Lougheed Highway to the site of the former St. Mary’s Residential School.
Troy Ingraldi, who was doing traffic control for the march, said the road was only one lane in each direction in the area, and the driver of a pickup truck became angry about the delay.
“This driver cut around a few cars, was honking, was trying to get around other cars, and he came up on us and he was driving really fast so I jumped out in front and was like, ‘Stop, stop, stop,’ and he stopped and he got out and he started yelling and screaming,” he said.
Ingradli said the man got out of his truck and continued to yell at him, saying the group should get off the road and let traffic through.
When Ingraldi told the man to be patient, he said the driver became further enraged.
“He was like, ‘I’ll run everyone down on this highway if I want to.’ And like maybe 50 yards in front of me we had small children from the ages of two all the way up to 14.”
Ingraldi said when the man got back into his truck, he stepped in front of the vehicle to stop him. The man then drove through him, knocking him to the ground, he said.
“He started screaming and yelling more, and then he took off again, and children and women and some brotherhood guys had to jump out of the way,” he said.
Mission RCMP responded to the scene and confirmed that the driver made “contact with approximately four persons.”
“It sounds like this driver became upset that his trip was going to be delayed by a few minutes, and drove into oncoming traffic to try to get around the group,” Const. Harrison Mohr said in a media release.
“When faced with oncoming traffic, he drove his vehicle into the midst of the group until the cars went by, then pulled out and passed again. In doing so, he struck several members of the March.”
Police said there was no indication the driver’s actions were targeted or had anything to do with the cause the group was marching for. Ingraldi said he couldn’t speak to the driver’s motivation, but that he only heard the man talk about being angry about having to wait.
Police have not made an arrest but said they did have the driver’s licence plate number. Anyone with video of the incident is urged to contact Mission RCMP at 604-826-7161.
Ingraldi said he was “angry and upset,” about the incident, but that it highlights the risks traffic flaggers face on the road every day.
“I’m glad nobody else got seriously hurt, I’m glad no women or children got hurt and I’m glad no elders got hurt,” he added.