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Wilmer Vizcaino, 29, of Waterbury in New Haven County, faces several felonies from the 9 p.m. crash on Wednesday, Oct. 16, Connecticut State Police said.
Troopers in East Hartford were notified of the wrong-way driver when a detection censor went off about a minute before the crash at Exit 56 on I-84. Investigators said Vizcaino crashed head-on with a car taking the ramp, which sent that vehicle careening into another.
The driver of the first car that was hit sustained minor injuries and was taken to the hospital for treatment, and the person in the second car was not hurt. But police say Vizcaino didn't stick around to find out. He jumped out of the vehicle and ran away.
A police dog tracked him down into some high grass in the woods not far from the crash site, authorities said. He smelled of alcohol, and he had injuries consistent with a crash. Vizcaino declined any medical treatment however.
Police said he failed a field-sobriety test shortly after being brought to the State Police barracks.
Vizcaino is charged with:
Operation a motor vehicle under the Influence of alcohol/drugs
- Evading responsibility with injury
- Driving wrong way — divided highway
- Operating without insurance
- Operating an unregistered motor vehicle
- Driving without a license
- Misuse of registration plate
- Reckless driving
- Failure to wear seatbelt
- Reckless endangerment first-degree
- Interfering with an officer/resisting
A judge ordered Vizcaino held on a $50,000 bond, authorities said.
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