DPS trooper crashes into wrong-way car on I-40, driver arrested

SANDERS, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) — A DPS trooper stopped a wrong-way driver on Interstate 40 Wednesday morning by intentionally crashing into the suspect’s car.

DPS says the trooper intervened as the car was traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes of I-40 near Sanders, a few miles west of the New Mexico border. After the crash, the driver of the wrong-way car was arrested. No one was hurt and no other vehicles were involved in the crash.

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Troopers are trying to determine if impairment was a factor. The westbound lanes of I-40 are partially closed at milepost 339 for the investigation. Eastbound traffic was not affected.

One month ago, another DPS trooper made a similar decision to stop a wrong-way driver. On Aug. 21, the trooper used his patrol SUV to crash into a car traveling southbound in the northbound lanes of Loop 101 in Tempe. Investigators say that suspect drove more than 10 miles in the wrong lanes before being stopped.

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CLOSED: The westbound lanes of Interstate 40 are closed at milepost 340 near US 191 in Sanders, The closure is due to a crash. There is no estimated reopening time. #AZTRAFFIC pic.twitter.com/mh5TwwqVYP
— Arizona DOT (@ArizonaDOT) September 21, 2022