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William Chretien, 41, of West Springfield, Massachusetts, was arrested around 2 a.m. Saturday, April 12, near Northbound Exit 38 on I-91, according to Connecticut State Police.
Other drivers dialed 911 to report an SUV swerving across lanes with no headlights. Troopers quickly located the car using traffic cameras.
Troopers confirmed the SUV was driving without lights and weaving across all lanes. Then, things got worse. The vehicle made a U-turn on the highway and began driving in the wrong direction, state police said.
The driver went the wrong way off the Exit 37 on-ramp, turned around, and reentered I-91 going the right way. A responding trooper caught up with the vehicle near Exit 38 and attempted a traffic stop.
At first, it looked like the SUV was heading toward the exit. Instead, it veered into the gore area between the lanes, struck multiple signposts, and slid into the soft shoulder before coming to a stop, troopers said.
Troopers reported that Chretien had “slurred speech, red glossy eyes, and the odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from his person.” He failed a field sobriety test, according to police.
His blood-alcohol content later tested above the legal limit, police said.
Chretien was charged with reckless driving, illegal operation of a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs, failure to maintain proper lane on a limited access highway, driving the wrong way on a divided highway, illegal entry onto a limited access highway, and failure to display lights, according to authorities.
He was released on a $10,000 bond, police said.
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