I-84 wrong-way driver almost hits deputy; driver facing drunken driving allegation
A Wasco County Deputy had a wild run-in this morning, June 1, at 2:33 a.m. when traveling on Interstate 84 near The Dalles, when a wrong-way driver almost hit their cruiser.
It’s the second wrong-way driver on I-84 near The Dalles in the past 20 days.
Oregon state police were advised, according to the Wasco County Sheriff’s Log as the deputy attempted to warn other vehicles and slow them down.
Truck Driver Michael Attaway of Sheridan Oregon said he was driving his rig east past The Dalles Discovery Center when he saw a Chevrolet sedan drive down the westbound on-ramp and make a u-turn and start driving east down the highway in the wrong direction.
He called 911 and made a report.
But then what?
“I was parallel with him,” Attaway said, noting he was going about 60 miles per hour. “I was honking my air horn and he would not even look at me. He was zoned out, no motion.”
Attaway said he kept pace with the vehicle to about The Dalles Marina and was frantically calling other truckers on his CB warning them of the wrong-way driver.
“It’s so dangerous,” he said. “I’m a truck driver and I see all sorts of stuff. But the outcome on this is never good. And it's usually the guy not doing anything wrong, just an innocent bystander that gets hurt.”
The deputy gave the following narrative in the log:
“Traveling westbound on I-84 near milepost 83 noticed a vehicle traveling towards me eastbound in the westbound lanes. I was able to avoid colliding with the vehicle and announced over the radio. I entered I-84 eastbound at milepost 82 and located the vehicle still traveling east in the westbound lanes at milepost 84 with oncoming driver flashing their light at the wrong way driver. I moved ahead of the vehicle trying to get westbound traffic slowed. The vehicle stopped near the median and was contacted by Oregon State Police in which the driver turned around and exited at exit 85 westbound. Deputy Kruger contacted the driver at this location and she was placed under arrest for DUII.”
The Driver’s vehicle was towed.
A case number was taken for DUII and Reckless Driving and a court date was set for July 10 at 8:30 a.m. for the driver, who was not listed. The log also lists the blood-alcohol content at .21 - more than twice the legal limit of less than .08 percent.
No record of booking for this situation could be found on the NORCOR jail adult custody roster.
No mention of injury was in the log.
