TUCSON, Ariz. - An Arizona Department of Public Safety trooper intentionally collided with a wrong-way vehicle on Oct. 14.
According to DPS, a trooper was assisting a stranded driver on the I-10 near Avra Valley. The trooper heard reports of a wrong-way vehicle traveling east within the westbound traffic lanes on I-10.
The trooper found the wrong-way vehicle, approaching the car head-on near Cortaro Road. The trooper intentionally aligned the front left corner of his patrol vehicle with the front left corner of the wrong-way vehicle - forcing a collision that immediately stopped the wrong-way driver.
DPS said the wrong-way driver was a disoriented, elderly woman. She was not properly restrained during the collision and sustained non-life threatening injuries. She was taken to Banner University Medical Center.
The trooper was treated for minor injuries.
“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 DPS 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.”
