A Baker City man who drove around two cars that had stopped on Auburn Avenue April 12 to let players cross the street in a crosswalk during the annual Baker Little League parade was cited for reckless driving on Wednesday, July 2.

Vernon Thomas Trowbridge, 74, was cited and released about 6:49 p.m. on a warrant from Baker County Justice Court warrant, according to the Baker County dispatch log.

No one was hurt in the April 12 incident, Baker City Police Sgt. Wayne Chastain said.

The incident happened at the intersection of Auburn and Main Street.

The parade started in Geiser-Pollman Park. Players walked south on Main Street, which was closed to traffic.

Auburn Avenue was open to traffic. Chastain said players cross Auburn, from north to south, and continue on sidewalks to Wade Williams Field for opening ceremonies scheduled for 9 a.m. Saturday.

Chastain said east-west traffic on Auburn had a green light at the time of the incident, around 8:40 a.m.  That means the crosswalk would have had a don’t walk sign illuminated.

However, Chastain said two drivers heading east on Auburn had stopped in the intersection because there were pedestrians in the crosswalk.

Trowbridge, who was also driving east, drove his pickup truck around the two stopped vehicles, honking his horn as he continued east, Chastain said.

Chastain said several parents stepped in front of the pickup, which based on photos taken by bystanders stopped with its front tires inside the crosswalk.

One bystander apparently shifted the pickup’s transmission into park, after which Trowbridge allegedly shifted back into drive and rolled forward before being stopped again by bystanders.

According to a report, Chastain said Trowbridge said he had an appointment at Lew Brothers Les Schwab Tires, about a block to the east, at 9 a.m.

Trowbridge declined to comment two days after the incident.

Greg Baxter, Baker County district attorney, said he has a conflict of interest in the case because he was participating in the parade and saw the incident.

Baxter said he asked Jim Carpenter, Grant County district attorney, to handle the case.

Baxter said it’s not unusual for cases to be adjudicated in justice court, rather than in circuit court, when the charge is a misdemeanor and the suspect has no criminal history, as is the case with Trowbridge.