Deputy Risks Safety-Stops Wrong Way Driver

Just after noon on Thursday, a Yavapai County Sheriff’s deputy spotted a vehicle traveling the wrong way on Highway 69 near Humboldt. Recognizing that the driver showed no signs of stopping, the deputy made a potentially life-saving decision. He positioned his patrol vehicle directly in the driver's path.

The driver noticed the emergency lights and sirens and slowed down. However, he did not fully stop. Instead, he continued moving forward at approximately 5 mph and bumped into the deputy’s patrol car.

Officers from the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) soon arrived to take over the investigation. Following a DUI evaluation, they arrested the driver, a man in his late 70s.

Thanks to the deputy's quick thinking and willingness to put himself in harm's way, no injuries were reported.