Town Truck Driver Apparently Hit With Thrown Snowball

While driving a town-owned snowplow truck on Berkshire Road (Route 34) at about 6:30 pm on Saturday, January 21, a town road crew member was apparently struck in the side of the head by a thrown snowball, according to Joe Tani, the town highway department’s operations manager.

Mr Tani said January 26 that longtime town employee Chuck Morgan was driving a one-ton dump truck, which is normally used by the Parks and Recreation Department, when a snowball/iceball flew through an open driver-side window and struck Mr Morgan on the side of the head.

The incident occurred while the truck was traveling westward on Berkshire Road, near its intersection with Sherman Street, Mr Tani said. The truck was not plowing Berkshire Road, which is a state road, but was traveling between locations where the town plows roads, Mr Tani said. It had snowed on January 21.

Mr Morgan was startled by the impact of the snowball and then became dizzy, but he was able to safely pull the truck over at Lone Oak Meadows Road, Mr Tani said.

Another town road crew driver relieved Mr Morgan of his driving duties that night, Mr Tani said. No ambulance responded to the scene.

Mr Tani said the incident clearly involved a thrown snowball, but that it is unclear who threw it. Mr Morgan received a small cut on the ear, had a headache, and experienced vision problems, Mr Tani said.

Mr Tani said police were called to the scene to investigate.

In a January 26 statement, police said they were called to the scene to investigate a report of the truck driver being hit in the head by a snowball.

“After an investigation, officers were unable to determine if the snow came off a vehicle accidentally or was [thrown] from a passing vehicle intentionally,” police said.

Police ask anyone with information about the incident to contact Officer John McDermott at the police station at 203-426-5841.

Mr Tani said Mr Morgan returned to work on January 24, after recuperating.

Of the incident, Mr Tani said, “It’s a dangerous thing.”

Not only could have Mr Morgan been more seriously injured, the truck also could have gone out of control, causing damage in an accident, Mr Tani said.