A 20-year-old Montour man has been arrested after New York State Police say he intentionally struck a construction zone flagger with his vehicle before fleeing the scene.
According to State Police, the incident happened July 14 on Ridge Road in the Town of Horseheads.
Investigators said Ryan Sochia was driving a 1999 Ford Mustang when he approached an active construction zone. Police allege Sochia revved the vehicle’s engine and antagonized a flagger who was holding a stop sign and directing traffic before intentionally hitting the worker with the vehicle and driving away.
The flagger was taken to a local hospital, where she was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and later released. Police said she suffered bruising in the incident.
Following a five-day investigation, troopers located Sochia at his residence on County Road 14 in the Town of Montour on July 19 and took him into custody.
He was charged with second-degree assault, a Class D felony; second-degree reckless endangerment, reckless driving, third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, leaving the scene of a personal injury accident, and multiple vehicle and traffic violations.
The charges are accusations, and Sochia is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
