DPS troopers stop wrong-way drivers on State Route 51

PHOENIX (KSAZ) - Department of Public Safety troopers have taken a wrong-way driver into custody after that person's truck crashed into a patrol vehicle on State Route 51.

The situation began early Wednesday morning when troopers attempted to stop the driver, but things took a scary turn when that suspect crashed into a trooper's vehicle. It all came to an end where he was stopped near 32nd Street and Shea Boulevard.

The male driver was traveling the wrong way on Loop 101's HOV lane near 64th Street in Scottsdale, then proceeded to SR 51. By the time the driver arrived at Northern Avenue, a DPS trooper caught up with him. That trooper was able to stop the truck using his patrol car.

Both the truck and patrol car were damaged. The trooper is okay.

33-year-old Christopher Farruggio was arrested.

Besides this crash, there was another wrong-way incident overnight. That driver, identified as 29-year-old Abdullah Halamiah, made a U-turn off of the freeway at Northern and DPS stopped the vehicle without anyone getting hurt. Halamiah is facing DUI and other charges.

Northbound SR 51 was closed at Northern Avenue during the investigation.