DUI New London Driver Drove Wrong-Way On I-395 In Waterford, State Police Say

WATERFORD, CT — A New London man is accused of driving the wrong-way on Interstate 395 in Waterford while operating under the influence, state police said.

At 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, Troop E- Montville was notified of a white pickup truck traveling the wrong way on I-395 in Waterford, reportedly going south on the northbound side toward I-95, state police said.

Troopers responded to the area and located the wrong way driver just north of the I-95 interchange, state police said. The first responding Trooper activated their emergency lights, which successfully stopped the wrong way driver from proceeding, state police said. Upon closing the distance, the wrong way driver was observed correcting their direction of travel, state police said.

The first responding Trooper then boxed the vehicle in from the front in the right shoulder to prevent the operator from fleeing, state police said.

Once safely stopped in the right shoulder, the driver was identified as Elkin Garcia Velez, 21, of New London, state police said.

Upon asking Garcia Velez if he knew he was driving the wrong way, Garcia Velez did not provide an answer, state police said.

"Garcia Velez was exhibiting clear signs of impairment on scene, to include slow speech and the odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from his person," state police said in a news release. "Empty beer cans were observed in plain view within the vehicle, to include one half empty in the center console."

Troopers requested Velez submit to standardized field sobriety testing, to which he agreed, state police said. Garcia Velez "failed to perform the tests to standard" and was subsequently arrested without incident, state police said.

He is charged with reckless driving, illegal operation of a car while under the influence, and driving the wrong-way on a divided highway.