Trooper Nearly Hit By Wrong-Way Driver

Another wrong-way driver has been arrested in the Tampa Bay area.

This time the incident occurred along U.S. 19 in the New Port Richey area around 8:04 p.m. Monday night.

According to Florida Highway Patrol Sgt. Steve Gaskins, Trooper Dolan was patrolling southbound on U.S. 19 when he spotted a silver Dodge pickup heading the wrong way, approaching him head-on near Marine Parkway.

“Narrowly avoiding being struck by the wrong-way driver, Trooper Dolan conducted a traffic stop on the motorist,” Gaskins wrote in an email to media.

The driver, Wade Monroe McKinney, 48, of Brooksville was ultimately charged with a DUI. He was also cited for driving in the wrong direction on a divided highway.

Troopers estimate McKinney managed to travel only a ¼ mile in the wrong direction before getting pulled over.

Monday’s incident comes on the heels of another wrong-way driving case in the Tampa area. In that incident, the driver was confused, not intoxicated, law enforcement said.

Photo credit: Wade Monroe McKinney/Courtesy of the Florida Highway Patrol