Washington State Patrol troopers faced a terrifying situation early Sunday morning on I-5, and it could have ended very differently if not for quick action.
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Around 5:15 a.m. on Sunday, January 18, the Washington State Patrol began receiving multiple 911 calls about a vehicle driving northbound in the southbound lanes of I-5. They were first spotted at South 200th Street in SeaTac. Those calls are about as dangerous as it gets, especially during early-morning travel when speeds are higher, and visibility can be limited.
Washington State Patrol Flooded by 911 Calls Before Sunrise
Washington State Patrol trooper Rick Johnson says an officer quickly located the vehicle and then attempted to stop it.
The trooper had to position his patrol car in front of the driver with lights on and managed to stop the wrong-way driver with just inches to spare from a head-on crash. The attached photo to the post on X, taken from inside the patrol car, tells the story of the stop better than words ever could. The Toyota sedan is empty in the image, but it sits only inches from the front of the patrol vehicle.
“Inches” is how the trooper’s post described it, and looking at the photo, “inches” is not an exaggeration. A patrol car with emergency lights on barely managed to get the attention of the driver. Chances are a regular vehicle could have been missed a led to a deadly head-on crash.
DUI Arrest, but No Injuries
Thankfully, no one was hurt. The driver was arrested for alleged DUI and booked into jail. All the credit should go to the Washington State Patrol trooper’s quick and gutsy thinking and the 911 callers immediated action that helped prevent a serious or fatal collision.
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Remember, if you ever encounter a wrong-way driver, slow down, move right if possible, and call 911 immediately. Yes, it rises to the level where you need to call 911 immediately. That quick call can save lives…