FARMINGTON, Utah — A man was taken to a hospital with scrapes and bruises Thursday after police say he was spooked by a dog and stepped into traffic.
Sgt. Brandon Erickson of the Farmington Police Department said the incident occurred on Main Street about a block prior to Shepard Lane.
A 25-year-old man was walking northbound on the sidewalk as a 58-year-old woman was driving northbound. Erickson said witness reports indicate a dog in a yard started barking or moved toward the man, and the man reacted by stepping off the sidewalk into the street.
The woman driving northbound collided with the man, who was knocked to the ground and suffered some scrapes and bruises. Erickson said the speed limit on the road is 40 mph, but he said the driver wasn’t going that fast and described the impact as a low-speed collision.
The pedestrian was taken to a hospital to be checked out and is listed in good condition.
Erickson said there is no indication the dog ever left its yard and he said the driver said it appeared the man was reacting to what the dog might do rather than anything the animal actually did.
Erickson said they encourage pedestrians to walk so they are going the opposite direction of the traffic in the nearest lane so they can see approaching vehicles.
