Watch Video of Washington State Trooper Stopping Wrong Way Driver

A crazy video released by the Washington State Patrol (WSP) offers a firsthand look at the dangerous accident to stop a wrong-way driver on westbound I-90 early Thursday morning near Lake Sammamish.

WSP Body Cam Video Captures Intense Wrong-Way Driver Collision on I-90 Near Lake Sammamish

The footage was recorded from a Washington State Trooper’s body camera showing the intense moments leading up to and following the crash. The WSP received reports of a vehicle traveling the wrong way on I-90, originating from Highway 405, and that the driver was heading directly into traffic.

Troopers could intercept the vehicle, but only after one of the officers positioned their patrol vehicle directly in the path of the sedan, resulting in a head-on collision. Trooper Rick Johnson initially reported the incident on X, and today, the Washington State Patrol shared the body cam footage. The video footage shows a detailed account of the events as they unfolded.

The camera shows the trooper driving toward the scene, his voice capturing the tension of the moment as he says "He's gonna hit me," just before the crash. A loud impact is followed with debris flying across the windshield and smoke rising from the front left corner of the patrol vehicle. Seconds after the collision, the trooper groans in pain, telling dispatch, "Go ahead and start aid, head on," signaling that both he and the wrong-way driver had possibly sustained injuries.

The trooper manages to open his car door and exit the vehicle, although still visibly in pain. The camera reveals the trooper approaching the wrong-way driver’s sedan, flashlight in hand, as smoke rises from the wreckage. The sedan’s windows are mostly obscured by deployed airbag dust. As the officer approaches, an older male driver exits the vehicle as the trooper takes control of the situation.

“Are you okay?” the trooper asks the driver, telling him to sit back down in the vehicle. The driver seems intoxicated, sits down, and then hands the trooper something. The officer quickly realizes it is not a license and says, “That is not your license, buddy,”. The video then ends and cuts off.

The driver was later arrested for suspected DUI. Both the trooper and the wrong-way driver suffered minor injuries in the crash. The WSP’s release of this body cam footage gives a powerful glimpse into the bravery, quick thinking, and sacrifice officers face in the line of duty.