Arizona DPS trooper hailed as hero after stopping wrong way driver

TUCSON, AZ (Tucson News Now) - An Arizona Department of Public Safety trooper is being hailed as a hero after he stopped a wrong-way driver on Interstate 10 near Cortaro Road.

"The ability of our trooper to assess the situation and take decisive action to stop the wrong-way vehicle, protected the lives of many motorists while endangering his own," said AZDPS Director, Colonel Frank Milstead. "I am proud of our brave trooper and pray he makes a full recovery and never has to face another wrong-way in his life."

The incident began at 7:33 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 14 when troopers received reports of a wrong way vehicle traveling east on the westbound lanes of Interstate 10 near Avra Valley, according to a recent DPS news release.

A trooper, who had been assisting a stranded motorist in the area heard the report and responded. He spotted the driver approaching him head on near Cortaro Road, around 7:40 p.m. According to the release, the trooper positioned the front left corner of his patrol SUV with the left corner of the wrong-way driver, forcing an intentional collision that immediately stopped the potentially fatal incident.

(Source: Arizona Department of Public Safety)

The wrong-way driver was found to be a disoriented, elderly woman, who had not been properly restrained during the crash. She was taken to Banner University Medical Center with non-life threateing injuries. The trooper was also treated for minor injuries.c