Victor Gensitskiy 25, sited for negligent driving after crashing his car while talking on cell phone.

A Battle Ground man running late for a court hearing was driving and talking on his cell phone when he left state Highway 14, crossed another street and then crashed into a fence Thursday morning, according to Washington State Patrol.

Victor Gensitskiy, 25, was driving west on the highway, headed toward Clark County Superior Court where he was late for a court hearing, according to a W.S.P. Trooper.

“He was on the phone with the court asking to reschedule when they told him no,” the trooper said said.

The Ford Edge he was driving left the roadway about a half mile west of Southeast Ellsworth Road, crossed two lanes of Southeast French Road before going into a ditch. The vehicle continued to travel about 100 feet, striking a large rock before eventually crashing into a wood fence, Finn said. The crash was reported at 8:50 a.m.

Part of his court order for a previous charge of failing to appear, however, is that his license is suspended, the W.S.P. said.

Gensitskiy was cited Thursday on suspicion of driving with third-degree suspended license and second-degree negligent driving.

He was not injured.

“This driver’s inattention while driving could have caused so much more damage or injury,” the W.S.P. said. “This vehicle left the highway at a high rate and entered a neighborhood street. We are extremely fortunate there were no school buses or vehicles on French Road when this vehicle left State Route 14.”