Wrong-Way Driver Caught In Southington After Hitting Cop On I-84: CSP

FARMINGTON/HARTFORD/SOUTHINGTON, CT — A Hartford man was accused Sunday of driving the wrong way while impaired on Interstate 84 in Farmington/Southington, hitting a police cruiser in the process.

According to state police, Luis Adrian Correa-Cabrera, 31, of Hartford, was charged with Operating an unregistered motor vehicle; improper use of registration; operating a motor vehicle without minimum insurance; reckless driving; evading responsibility for a motor vehicle collision; operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol/drugs; driving the wrong way on a limited access highway; operating a motor vehicle without a license; and first-degree reckless endangerment.

He was being held on a $100,000 bond and was slated to appear in New Britain Superior Court on Monday, Feb. 24.

According to state police, at about 3:21 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 23, Troop H in Hartford dispatch noticed a wrong-way detection activation at Interstate 84 East, Exit 37 offramp in Farmington.

The alert came via the state Department of Transportation's wrong-way notification system that was installed there.

Police said dispatchers were able to confirm a dark-colored SUV entered the off-ramp the wrong way and was traveling west in the eastbound lanes of I-84.

Troopers responding to the area were able to locate the suspect vehicle, a black Volvo XC90.

According to police, as a trooper attempted to stop the wrong-way driver, who had initially been traveling at slow speeds, the suspect vehicle struck the trooper's cruiser.

Police said it then continued driving past them at a high rate of speed.

The cruiser sustained minor damage, and the trooper was uninjured, police said.

Troopers then observed the vehicle exit the highway at Exit 32 in Southington, where troopers were able to successfully stop the suspect vehicle.

Police said the driver and sole occupant initially refused to comply with trooper commands and was quickly escorted out of the vehicle where he was placed under arrest.

The driver was identified as Correa-Cabrera, who police said admitted to consuming alcohol prior to driving and was unaware he had crashed into a state police cruiser or traveled the wrong way.

Further investigation revealed resulted in several charges in connection to the incident and Correa-Cabrera was transported to Troop H for processing.

For more information and to watch a video of the suspect's collision with a police cruiser, click on this link.

For the Connecticut State Police news page, click on this link.