DENVER, CO — A Colorado State Patrol trooper says he intentionally struck a suspected wrong-way DUI driver head on to keep the vehicle from endangering other motorists. The trooper described the move to CBS Colorado and said he is proud of the decision he made in the moment.
The encounter was a split-second effort to stop what he saw as an immediate threat. By putting his own vehicle between the wrong-way driver and everyone else on the road, the trooper said he aimed to end the danger quickly rather than wait for a wider crash to happen.
Trooper says the goal was to protect other drivers
The key detail in the incident is the trooper’s choice to use his patrol car as a barrier. He said the crash was intentional and part of a decision to stop the threat in its tracks.
That account frames the collision as a protective action, not a routine traffic stop. Colorado State Patrol has not released additional details in the information provided, including where the wrong-way driving began or how the suspect vehicle was first spotted.
Wrong-way driving is among the most dangerous traffic situations because it gives oncoming drivers almost no time to react. In this case, the trooper said he acted before the threat could spread to other vehicles on the road.
CBS Colorado interview puts trooper's judgment in the spotlight
The trooper’s comments came in an interview with CBS Colorado, where he recalled the crash and defended the split-second judgment behind it. His public remarks turn the incident into more than a police action; they also highlight the real-time decisions officers can face during dangerous roadside encounters.
He said he is proud of the choice he made. That reaction suggests he views the maneuver as successful because it prevented a potentially worse outcome for other drivers.
The interview also gives the public a direct look at how law enforcement officers describe high-risk moments after the fact. In this case, the trooper emphasized the urgency of stopping the suspected impaired driver immediately.
Suspected impaired driving remains a major roadway threat
The incident centers on a suspected DUI driver, though no additional details about the person’s identity or condition were included in the information provided. What is clear is that the trooper believed the driver posed enough of a risk to justify a direct collision.
That makes the story part of a wider safety concern familiar to drivers across the country: the danger of impaired or wrong-way motorists on public roads. Encounters like this can force law enforcement to choose between a controlled crash and the possibility of a more destructive one elsewhere.
Colorado State Patrol did not provide more information here about arrests, injuries or any formal charges tied to the stop. The emphasis remained on the trooper’s decision and the immediate public-safety threat he believed he was confronting.
What the account does and does not confirm
The available account confirms only a limited set of facts: a Colorado State Patrol trooper intentionally hit a wrong-way driver head on, and he later said he did so to protect other drivers. The trooper also said he stands by that call.
It does not include a timeline, the exact roadway, the suspect’s name, or the outcome for either vehicle beyond the collision itself. Those missing pieces matter, but they were not part of the information shared in the interview details provided.
Even with those gaps, the story is clear on the central point. The trooper believed the quickest way to prevent a broader danger was to stop the vehicle immediately, even if that meant using his patrol car in a direct crash.
Why the case stands out to Colorado drivers
For many drivers, the idea of a police officer intentionally entering a head on crash sounds extreme. In this case, the trooper’s explanation is that the danger of leaving the wrong-way vehicle unchecked was even greater.
That is why the incident has drawn attention. It shows how quickly a patrol response can turn into a high-risk intervention when a driver is moving the wrong direction on a road shared with the public.
Colorado State Patrol has not added more specifics in the information provided, but the trooper’s own words make the motivation plain: stop the threat before it reaches anyone else.
Local news that matters, from Dulaney Griffin.
