A Maine State Police trooper safely stopped a wrong-way driver traveling north in the southbound lanes of Interstate 295 late Friday night, authorities said.
The incident occurred around 11:30 p.m. on October 31, or Halloween, when members of Troop I were dispatched to reports of a vehicle driving the wrong direction near mile marker 37 in Bowdoinham.
As troopers moved to intercept the vehicle, additional 911 calls came in from drivers reporting the danger on the highway.
A trooper positioned in a highway crossover spotted the suspect vehicle and maneuvered into the roadway, successfully boxing it in and bringing it to a stop, police said.
The driver, identified as 26-year-old Rashard Robinson of Chesapeake, Virginia, was taken into custody without incident. He was charged with operating under the influence (OUI) and reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon.
Robinson was transported to the Kennebec County Jail following his arrest.
State police thanked the motorists who called in to report the wrong-way driver and credited coordination with the Gardiner Police Department for helping bring the incident to a safe end.
