A road rage incident ended in violence after a driver allegedly attacked a PennDOT worker. What began as a traffic stop on Heidler Road in Fairview turned violent around noon on Wednesday. Pennsylvania State Police in Girard responded to a report of an agitated driver who had attacked a PennDOT flagger directing traffic.

Dustin Wilson was performing his duties when Nicholas Sanzo allegedly yelled, sped into the intersection, got out of his vehicle and punched him several times. Wilson managed to restrain Sanzo in a “submissive hold,” but was bitten three times during the struggle, breaking the skin. Sanzo was taken into custody and charged with assault. Wilson was treated for his injuries.

According to Jill Harry, a press officer with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, “We try to communicate our work zones to folks in advance as much as we possibly can, but we certainly can't guarantee that you'll never be caught off guard. So, if you do come upon a work zone, remember to be patient—remember that everyone there is trying to do everything safely.”

She added, “Just take a deep breath and just let us do our job so we can all get along the road to where we need to go.”

Jill Harry emphasized that a driver might approach the work zone feeling a little bit of impatience, but “just remember that we're trying to keep you safe when you're going through the work zone. We don't want you to encounter traffic coming the other direction.”

The Pennsylvania State Police are actively investigating the incident.