Maine Trooper Uses Cruiser to Stop Wrong-Way Driver

A Maine State Police sergeant intentionally rammed a pickup truck Saturday night to stop a wrong-way driver on Interstate 95 in Bangor, preventing what authorities say could have been a deadly crash.

WGME is reporting that the incident began when a Maine game warden, who was responding to a search-and-rescue call, spotted a Chevrolet pickup driving erratically in the passing lane. The warden attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver refused to pull over.

Investigators said the driver used an emergency crossover in Orono to turn southbound before accelerating to speeds of more than 80 mph.

The pickup later crossed the median near Hogan Road in Bangor and began traveling south in the northbound lanes of I-95.

A Maine State Police sergeant then deliberately struck the truck, forcing it off the highway and into a ditch. Another trooper and a game warden boxed the vehicle in to prevent the driver from escaping, the news station reported.

Police said the pickup had previously been reported stolen from Skowhegan.

The driver, identified as 60-year-old Lawrence Knowles of Norridgewock, was arrested following a brief standoff.

WGME said that Knowles is facing several charges, including eluding an officer, operating under the influence of drugs, reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon, aggravated operating after habitual offender revocation, violating conditions of release and refusing to submit to arrest.

He was taken to the Penobscot County Jail.

No officers or members of the public were injured during the incident.