Vernon woman yelled at, spat upon for legally parking in handicap spot Saturday afternoon

Photo: File photo

A Vernon woman is shaken after being assaulted for parking in a handicap spot.

The woman, who asked not to be identified, is an amputee who lost her leg below the knee a few years ago and now walks with a prosthetic leg.

And while she does have a legitimate disability, it is not obvious.

“I had just pulled into a handicap parking spot, with my parking pass in full view, and this man came storming over screeching at me through my open window about how I clearly wasn't disabled and that I was just faking it, and taking the spot away from someone else who truly needs it,” she said. “Then he spat in my face and took off. I am shaken but otherwise okay, and the RCMP have been informed.”

The woman said she now has to worry about not only being exposed to COVID from the assailant's saliva, but “about whatever other transmittable diseases could have been in that glob of spit that landed in my eye. All because I was sitting in my car and the man could not see my disability.”

The woman said even if a person's disability is not visible, “that does not give anyone the right to harshly judge others, and it sure as hell is never okay to assault someone like that. Because that is what it is – assault.”

Because the incident happened quickly and was so shocking, the woman did not get a good description of her assailant.

“A few people did see what happened, but turned a blind eye and walked away,” she said. “But please, I beg of you all, if you see something like that happen, step in and help. Or at the very least, take note of the details so hopefully the person can later be held accountable.”

The incident happened just before 1 p.m. Saturday in the Wal Mart parking lot.

Castanet has reached out to the Vernon RCMP for comment.