La Pine man charged with work zone injury hit-and-run

A 72-year-old La Pine man faces hit-and-run and reckless endangering charges after hitting a construction zone traffic flagger, causing minor injuries, and damaging another flagger’s traffic control sign, authorities said Thursday.

Deschutes County 911 dispatchers were notified around 1:15 p.m. on Wednesday of a reckless driver in the construction zone on Huntington Road near First Street in La Pine, sheriff’s Sgt. William Bailey said. An attempt to locate the vehicle was broadcast by radio to deputies in the area, Bailey said.

Around 6 p.m., employees of the construction company working at the site contacted deputies to report a flagger had received minor injuries when the driver of a red 2011 Chevy HHR failed to obey the flaggers and struck one, Bailey said. The driver also damaged another flagger’s traffic control sign as it left the construction zone.

The flaggers were able to give deputies a description and license plate for the suspect vehicle.

Deputies later found the Chevy HHR and contacted James Bratton of La Pine at his home. He was arrested by citation on charges of failure to perform the duties of a driver to an injured person, as well as property damage, and two counts of reckless endangering.

For more information about Work Zone Safety, visit https://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/Safety/Pages/Work-Zone.aspx