Massachusetts snow plow driver John Pimental faces multiple criminal charges after protesters at a “Fake Emergency Rally” opposing President Trump’s border wall flagged police when he splashed them with snow.
A group of several dozen were protesting the president Monday the Falmouth Village Green when they allege a plow truck veered “across the road,” lowered the plow and intentionally doused them with slush. The group flagged down a Falmouth police officer around 12:30 p.m., after the driver came by a second time, soaking the group and signs that read “Fake Crisis, “TRUMPed Up Emergency” and “Trump Is The Crisis,” The Falmouth Enterprise reports.
“The protesters alleged that a snow plow driver intentionally drove by the Village Green twice, throwing snow from the plow into the group of protesters,” Falmouth Police Lieutenant Douglas M. DeCosta told the news site. “They gave us a description of the vehicle and we were able to locate it in the area.”
“He just veered closer and closer,” a woman protester who was not identified told WABC.
“My whole back was wet, my legs were wet,” another woman said. “I was pretty drenched.”
“It was cold and it hurt because there was a lot of ice in it. He jammed his foot on the gas and I thought he was coming toward me,” she continued.
“A sane, trained plow driver would have never acted the way he did,” protester Christine Uljua told WCVB.
Zach Uljua, who attended the protest with his parents, said he’s convinced the driver targeted them intentionally.
“The plow was not already down when he came down the road,” Zach Uljua said. “He put it down before he got to us.”
“It just made me angry that someone in Falmouth chose to do this instead of finding another way to let them know he didn’t like our opinion,” Pat Keoghan, another protestor, told the news site.
The protesters used the controversy to get their signs on the news broadcast, one reading “Separating Families: Slave owners, Hitler, ISIS, Trump – UNFIT.” Another read: “8158 lies to date.”
Sandra Faiman-Silva, a local anthropology professor attending the protest, posted about the ordeal on Facebook and recorded a video of the stunt she provided to police and media outlets.
“~50 turned out for Fake Emergency Rally against border wall funding,” she posed along with numerous images, including one of the plow truck. “Rouge plow driver soaked demonstrators – intentionally! Police are investigating and asking for written testimony c/o Oliver at Falmouth P.D.”
The post solicited sympathy from some, and trolling comments from others.
“BUILD THE WALL,” Wade Michaels wrote.
Faiman-Silva claimed in the comments that “protesters did not demand an arrest. The Falmouth PD pressed charges.”
Officers tracked the truck to 31-year-old Pimental, a private plow driver, and issued him a court summons for disorderly conduct and assault, WABC reports.
The assault charge carries a punishment of up to two and half years in prison, and up to $1,000 fine. A first offense disorderly conduct charge is a $150 fine, according to Massachusetts laws.
“I think an example should be made,” an unidentified man protesting with the group told WCVB. “It’s about the law of respect.”
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