An Arlington County snowplow driver who was caught on camera driving the wrong way was cited by police for causing an accident in the county on the same day.
Arlington County Police said the 51-year-old driver was traveling south on S. Monroe Street around 9:18 a.m. Tuesday when he ignored a stop sign and went through an intersection, striking a Toyota Highlander. The Highlander, which was traveling eastbound on S. 18th Street, then struck two parked vehicles.
The snowplow driver was given a ticket for disregarding a stop sign.
No one was injured.
Earlier that morning, Jason Berry recorded the snow plow as it traveled down the wrong side of Military Road. Berry said he started recording the video after his car did a 180-degree spin when the plow forced him out of his lane.
"The first thing I thought was, get out of the way because he is not moving," Berry told News4's Shomari Stone. "He was coming right at me in my lane and it was like, move the car, you're going to die."
Berry then followed the plow and recorded it continuing in the wrong lane even as another car approached it on a hill. That car veered into the snowy part of the street to avoid the plow.
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Arlington’s Water, Sewer and Streets Bureau said the driver was taken off duty immediately for completely unacceptable plowing technique. They will follow up with the driver Tuesday.
"We reviewed this incident with the team that took over snow operations at noon today in the pre-shift driver briefing, pointing out that it demonstrated unacceptable and unsafe plowing technique and was contrary to our annual training for snow and ice removal operations," said Water, Sewer and Streets Chief Operating Engineer Dave Hundelt in a statement.
In response to those who criticized Berry for recording the video while driving and posting it online, he said he did it to make Arlington safer.
"I don't want this guy out there plowing streets ever again," he said.
