'I had to act,' violent encounter spurs call for safe parking at Regina hospital

People who work at the Regina General Hospital are once again expressing concern about parking, and safety, around the building.

Charles Zsohar, a social worker, was on his way to work Tuesday morning when he was confronted by two men. They said they had a knife and wanted his wallet.

"[My] fight or flight response came on and I knew I had to act," Zshohar said Wednesday as he recounted the incident. "I could not walk away from this. I could not hand my wallet over because ... they would have still attacked me."

Zsohar said he responded to the danger with force, using his martial arts training.

"When I charged him, he backed up and when I was punching him he fell," Zsohar said. As one of the men fell, the other man hit Zshohar.

"I turned ... and that's when he hit me," Zsohar said. "I blocked it and then I charged him as well, constantly hitting him. I don't know how many times I hit him, but he hit the ground too."

According to Regina police, the area around the Regina General Hospital is second only to North Central when it comes to reported crimes.

Jennifer LeGard, a nurse at the hospital, also had a close call.

"I was punched in the throat and the chest," she said. "I started screaming [and] I got lucky: A civilian was driving by as my incident was occurring."

LeGard and Zsohar shared their experiences because they want people tot know what happened to them, and others.

They say there needs to be closer, safer parking options for everyone — staff and visitors.

""I know that costs a lot of money and it'll cost millions," Zsohar said. "But if it means saving lives ... I mean one of these days someone's going to end up getting stabbed, shot."

The Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region said it takes hospital security seriously and notes that people can get a shuttle from their parking spot and have a security guard walk them to the edge of the property.

A committee is looking at long-term solutions, including the possibility of a parkade.