Wrong-Way Driver Intercepted By State Troopers On I-95 In Greenwich

GREENWICH, CT — A 49-year-old West Harrison, New York woman was arrested on a host of vehicular charges early Friday after Connecticut State Police said she was driving the wrong way on I-95 in Greenwich.

No injuries were reported, but an unknown number of motorists had to swerve to avoid crashing into her SUV. State police were tipped about the wrong-way driver by a 911 call.

Arrested was Flavia Cristina De Almeida Gomes, who was charged with the following:

• Operating under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs
• Failure to maintain a proper lane
• Driving the wrong way on a divided highway
• Unsafe backing
• Improper parking
• Reckless endangerment in the second degree

The incident occurred at about 1:40 a.m., when state police received the call about a wrong-way driver traveling southbound on the northbound side near Exit 3 on I-95. The vehicle she was driving was described as a red SUV with black rims.

"Troopers were dispatched to that location as Troop G desk personnel began observing DOT highway camera images and identified a red vehicle stopped in the shoulder south of the Exit 3 entrance ramp," state police officials wrote in a statement. "On the DOT cameras, desk personnel observed the red vehicle begin traveling in reverse in the right shoulder, before entering into the right and then center lane, still traveling in reverse as oncoming traffic swerved to avoid colliding with it."

After passing the Exit 3 entrance ramp, the vehicle turned around and started traveling northbound and was seen near Exit 5.

"Shortly afterward, one of the responding Troopers located the vehicle, identified as a Honda HRV, traveling on I-95 southbound in the area of Exit 2," state police officials said.

The vehicle was pulled over, and while speaking with De Almeida Gomes, troopers "suspected that she may have been driving impaired." Standardized Field Sobriety Tests were administered, which state police said she failed.

De Almeida Gomes was taken into custody and charged. She was released after posting a $2,500 cash bond, and is scheduled to appear in Stamford Superior Court on April 26.

"As always, we ask that anyone who observes a vehicle traveling in the wrong direction please keep a safe distance away and call 9-1-1 as soon as possible, as this is a true emergency," authorities said.