CHICOPEE, MA — A wrong-way driver was charged with operating under the influence after a crash that injured a state trooper and a motorist early Friday.
Troopers from the Massachusetts State Police Springfield Barracks responded to reports of a vehicle traveling southbound in the northbound lanes of Interstate 91 near Chicopee at about 4 a.m.
Responding troopers initiated a rolling roadblock on Interstate 91 North near Exit 9 with emergency lights activated to stop the vehicle.
The operator swerved and struck a cruiser operated by a trooper assigned to the Massachusetts State Police K-9 Unit, hitting the rear driver’s side.
The wrong-way vehicle then struck another passenger vehicle head-on.
The trooper, his K-9 and the other vehicle’s operator were transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and are expected to recover.
The wrong-way operator, Jose Santiago, 28, of Holyoke, was taken into custody and is being evaluated for minor injuries.
Santiago faces charges including operating under the influence of alcohol, negligent operation of a motor vehicle and other motor vehicle offenses.
“The incident we witnessed this morning in Chicopee is another reminder of the serious danger created when someone makes the reckless decision to drive while impaired,” Massachusetts State Police Colonel Geoffrey Noble said. “I want to commend the bravery and quick actions of our troopers, whose efforts to stop this wrong-way driver likely prevented further injuries and potentially saved lives.”
“Since the tragic loss of Trooper Kevin Trainor in early May, this marks the third incident involving a trooper being struck by a wrong-way operator,” Noble said. “These incidents demonstrate the risks our troopers and all of law enforcement face every day on our roadways. The Massachusetts State Police remain committed to enforcing impaired driving laws and holding accountable those whose dangerous decisions put lives at risk.”
