
UPDATED:
Argo Road Maintenance says one of its workers was the victim of an assault on the Red Bridge early Monday morning.
In a series of Tweets, the company says the worker sustained a concussion and needed several stitches. “He will be OK (sic). However, it will be some time before he can come back to work, or, more importantly, fully engage in his everyday activities.
“As a team, we’re also shaken.”
Kamloops RCMP spokesperson Const. Crystal Evelyn says the assault happened at 3 a.m. on Monday when crews were patching potholes on the bridge.
She says a verbal altercation occurred after an SUV sped towards the work site, and says two occupants of the SUV got out and confronted the worker.
“One of the men tried to take the worker’s shovel and during the struggle, the worker was punched, knocking him out and causing him to fall on the roadway.”
Police say the suspects then drove off towards the Lorne Street. They were in an older-model, dirty SUV. Both are described as being about six-feet tall, and either South Asian or Indigenous. Their SUV also had an “N” on the back.
Argo says it understands people are under stress right now and may be concerned about road conditions or traffic delays, but it says “violence is not the answer.”
“Incidents involving violence have severe repercussions for crew members’ health and safety, temporarily halt maintenance work, and ultimately put everyone at risk,” it says on Twitter.
Anyone with details on the assault is now being asked to call Kamloops RCMP, and reference file number 2021-1122.