State trooper hurt when she used her patrol car to stop a wrong-way driver near Silverdale

A Washington State Patrol trooper had only seconds to stop a wrong-way driver on State Route 3 north of Bremerton on Friday.

She used her patrol car to do it.

The trooper was injured in the head-on crash, but succeeded in stopping the runaway car, which spun into a ditch. The 39-year-old driver, a woman from Quilcene, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.

WSP dispatchers had received more than 25 reports of a white sedan traveling southbound in the northbound lanes on State Route 3. The first report was received at around 4:46 p.m. July 10, stating the vehicle, a 2012 Chrysler 200, was passing milepost 51 near Poulsbo.

A minor injury collision occurred near state Route 308 as drivers swerved to get out of the way.

WSP troopers responded to the area as dispatchers continued to receive witness updates. The final update said the vehicle was southbound in the northbound lane at Anderson Road near Silverdale.

A trooper responding south of the area began slowing traffic, preparing to intercept the wrong-way vehicle near Newberry Hill Road. Just moments later, the trooper observed the sedan approaching around a corner. The vehicles collided head-on in the left lane of northbound state Route 3.

“Wrong way drivers can be one of the scariest, most dangerous people on our highways,” said WSP District 8 Captain James Major in a press release. “Our trooper had to make a grave decision to put herself between the public and a dangerous driver, risking her own safety. No doubt our trooper’s actions tonight perhaps saved innocent motorists and a suspect in crisis.”

The trooper sustained minor injuries and was transported by aid to Harrison Hospital in Bremerton where she was treated and released. She has been with the WSP for five years and transferred to the Bremerton area in May 2017.

The wrong-way driver was uninjured. She was taken into custody by the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office.

This story was originally published July 11, 2020 at 6:42 PM.