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Nyasia Battle, 24, of Springfield, Massachusetts, faces multiple charges from the early Friday morning, Feb. 21, trek, Connecticut State Police said.
State police said multiple 911 callers reported a red Hyundai SUV traveling north in the southbound lanes of Route 5/15 before merging onto I-84 eastbound in the westbound lanes. Troopers responded but initially lost sight of the vehicle, believing the driver may have corrected course or exited the highway.
A short time later, officers spotted a matching vehicle in Manchester, moving at an “extremely low rate of speed” on the right shoulder near Exit 4 before coming to a stop, police said.
Battle told officers she was unfamiliar with Connecticut and was trying to get to a Hartford house using GPS. Battle also said the state’s roads were confusing and full of potholes, according to police.
Troopers noted Battle slurred her speech and smelled of alcohol. She was also driving on a flat front passenger-side tire and mud was splattered along the car’s exterior, suggesting she had driven off the road at some point, police said.
Battle failed a field sobriety test and was charged with operating under the influence, reckless driving, and driving the wrong way on a highway. She was released on a $5,000 bond, police said.
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