On Friday, November 11, 2024, at approximately 1:13 AM, Troop E in Montville began receiving 911 calls reporting a wrong-way driver traveling southbound in the northbound travel lanes on I-395 in the area of exit 11 in Norwich. Several Troopers quickly responded to the area in efforts to intercept the vehicle.
A responding trooper observed a wrong-way vehicle, identified as a silver Ford Focus with New Hampshire registration plates, near exit 6 in Montville, heading directly toward them. With emergency lights and siren activated, the Trooper attempted to stop the vehicle safely. However, the driver swerved around the trooper and continued traveling the wrong way at high speed. The Trooper promptly updated other responding units with the vehicle's location.
Another responding Trooper, stationed near exit 2 in Waterford, activated their emergency lights and siren to warn oncoming traffic and used the spotlight to capture the wrong-way driver’s attention. As the vehicle approached, the Trooper observed it weaving across multiple lanes in an attempt to bypass the cruiser. The Trooper closely monitored the vehicle's movements, effectively blocking its path and safely bringing it to a stop in the left lane without further incident. At this time, the Trooper observed a male operator and female passenger within the vehicle.
After the vehicle was stopped, the Trooper exited the cruiser and observed the driver begin reversing. The Trooper commanded the driver to stop, and he complied. The Trooper then approached the driver's side and immediately instructed him to shift the vehicle into park and remove the keys from the ignition. The driver struggled to follow the instructions, at which point the passenger reached over, removed the keys, and handed them to the Trooper. The driver, identified as David Valcin (DOB: 05/14/1988) of Mattapan, MA, told the Trooper he was relying on GPS since he was unfamiliar with the area. The passenger stated she had repeatedly warned Valcin he was driving the wrong way, but he continued on.
During their interaction, the Trooper noted signs of impairment in Valcin and requested that he perform the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests. Valcin agreed to participate, but failed to complete the tests to standard. As a result, Valcin was arrested and transported to Troop E for processing where he was charged the following violations:
C.G.S. 14-222 - Reckless Driving
C.G.S. 14-227a - Illegal Operation of a Motor Vehicle while Under the Influence of Alcohol/Drugs
C.G.S. 14-237 - Driving the Wrong Way on a Divided Highway
Valcin was assigned a $2,500 cash/surety bond, which he was unable to post. Valcin is scheduled for arraignment at New London Superior Court on 11/29/2024.
