Oklahoma – An impaired driver traveling the wrong way on Interstate 44 in Oklahoma City was arrested after a dangerous incident that nearly resulted in a serious crash, according to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
The incident happened Tuesday morning shortly before 9:30 a.m. when the driver entered I-44 traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes.
According to OHP, the vehicle struck a semi-truck near May Avenue, disabling the truck in the roadway. Despite the collision, the driver continued traveling the wrong way for nearly three miles before eventually crashing into a wall.
Troopers said the driver was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and was booked into the Oklahoma County Detention Center.
Despite the severity of the incident, authorities said no one was injured.
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol described the outcome as a best-case scenario, noting that wrong-way crashes are among the most dangerous situations law enforcement responds to because drivers traveling in the correct direction often have little time to react.
“An impaired driver traveling the wrong way on Interstate 44 in Oklahoma City this morning came within seconds of changing countless lives forever,” OHP said.
Officials reminded drivers that impaired driving can have life-changing consequences and urged anyone who has consumed alcohol or other impairing substances to avoid getting behind the wheel.
The agency emphasized that one poor decision can put the lives of countless motorists at risk in a matter of seconds.
Driver charged after striking semi-truck, continued wrong way for nearly three miles before crashing into wall, OHP says "miraculously, no one was injured"
