A B.C. Supreme Court judge has ordered a woman to pay $34,000 in damages following a road rage incident near the George Massey Tunnel two years ago.
The incident happened on June 2, 2017, in a northbound lane on Highway 99 near the entrance of the tunnel.
According to the reasons for judgment, released last week, the plaintiff Michael Henderson received facial injuries as a result of a road rage incident involving the defendant Jacqueline McGregor.
Henderson, who was driving a smart car from Delta to Vancouver, testified that he was stopped in his vehicle due to traffic congestion as was trying to merge into the left-hand lane. McGregor’s vehicle was travelling immediately behind his, in very close proximity — so close in fact, that he could see her in the driver’s seat in the rearview mirror. As she kept moving forward, Henderson said he thought that he was going to get hit by McGregor. He heard her honk her horn at him before her vehicle came to a stop. He also testified that it appeared to him that she was using her cell phone either talking or texting.
Henderson testified that he was concerned that McGregor’s vehicle had made contact with the rear of his vehicle, so he put his vehicle into park and got out walking to the rear to check for damage.
He then decided to walk over to McGregor’s vehicle, which he told the court he did so in a calm, non-aggressive and non-threatening manner. He saw her roll down her window. As he approached the vehicle he remarked that it was not a good idea to be on the phone while driving. At that point, he was no closer than two feet away from her window.
He said suddenly without warning, McGregor threw what Henderson felt to be a punch to his face causing his glasses to fly off and land in her car.
Henderson testified that at no point did he retaliate, raise his fist or gesture towards her or touch her vehicle. As he composed himself, he asked her for his glasses back, but she rolled up her window and drove off.
— Ian Jacques, Delta Optimist
