Florida man faces charges in Lambertville.
By: Linda Seida
LAMBERTVILLE Disgruntled by a five- to 10-minute construction delay on Route 29, a truck driver struck a flagman with his trailer, then punched the flagman in the face when the flagman caught the driver minutes later as he waited in another delay down the road, police said.
"The whole situation is pretty much like a road rage story, but instead of two drivers it’s one driver and one contractor," said Lambertville Police Director Bruce Cocuzza.
Police are still investigating, but in the meantime truck driver Michael Monkus, 36, of St. Petersburg, Fla., will receive citations for motor vehicle infractions, including leaving the scene of an accident, as well as an aggravated assault charge, Mr. Cocuzza said.
James Venello, 51, a flagman for Aponte Construction who resides in Penns Grove, suffered a cut and bruise under his right eye, a scraped and bleeding right forearm and a cut near the thumb of his right hand, according to police. Police said he refused transport to a hospital and was treated at the scene by the New Hope-Lambertville Ambulance and Rescue Squad
Mr. Venello was working on Route 29 near Elm Street on Sept. 5 at about 5:50 p.m. on the New Jersey Department of Transportation reconstruction project.
Mr. Monkus ignored the flagman’s stop sign and drove away, striking Mr. Venello with the truck’s trailer, according to police. Another traffic stop on the same project delayed Mr. Monkus a second time near Phillips Barber Road, where Mr. Venello caught up with him.
The two began arguing, and Mr. Monkus left his truck, police said. He allegedly struck the first blow, punching Mr. Venello in the face, according to police.
Mr. Monkus drove away, but a witness had gotten the trailer’s registration number and reported it to police. The police tracked the registration through the Department of Motor Vehicles to the driver’s Florida company, All Star Transportation.
Delays have not been unusual in the long-term project but last only about five to 10 minutes, police said.