WASHINGTON – Beltway commuters are used to traffic snarls in the morning and they hardly put anyone in a good mood. But Tuesday’s backups offered a bit of levity even for a woman who was late to her first day at a new job.
A man dressed in a toga or wrapped in some sort of sheet or cloth, was seen walking along Interstate 495 in Prince George’s County. His stroll included a police escort and caused traffic backups about eight miles on the Outer Loop, according to commuter Brie Rizzo Hall.
Hall tells WTOP that when she encountered the man, he was walking in the shoulder and was carrying a large stick. Maryland state troopers were following him.
“The traffic made me late for work on my first day at a new job but it made for a funny story,” she says.
State police say they received a report of a man walking on the shoulder near Exit 15 about 8:15 a.m. He was claiming to be Jesus and officers planned to give him a ride off the Beltway. State police did not report any notes about traffic delays related to the man.
However WTOP’s Traffic Center heard complaints of rubbernecking delays related to drivers spotting “toga man.”
MD – 495 #Beltway Outer Loop near Ritchie Marlboro: Caller reports, man w/ a toga on the right side. All lanes open #mdtraffic #dctraffic
— WTOP Traffic (@WTOPtraffic) July 16, 2013
"Man in toga" made the traffic report this morning for causing delays. Thanks for the laugh @WTOPtraffic
— Allison Wallace (@alliooop) July 16, 2013
@WTOPtraffic @alliooop On sweltering days- / The smartest man outside is- / The man in toga. / #haiku #hot #freeflowing #notbinding
— Shad from DC (@shadfromdc) July 16, 2013
This is true. MRT @jonfeng1: toga man is causing rubbernecking delays. never a dull moment in the national capital region.#dctraffic
— WTOP Traffic (@WTOPtraffic) July 16, 2013
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