Authorities arrest wrong-way driver in Phoenix

PHOENIX (KSAZ) - According to the Arizona Department of Public Safety, a man was a passenger in a car that drove the wrong way at 90 mph for nearly eight miles.

"All I know is that I was sleeping the whole time, yeah, that's it," he said.

Multiple DPS officers responded as the blue Hyundai continued from Dobson towards 32nd Street where a trooper was traveling westbound and spotted him. The driver has been identified as 26-year-old Fernando Lopez Martinez.

"Around 4 a.m., we started receiving multiple phone calls on a wrong-way driver at State Route 202 at the 101 traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes," Sgt. Carl Cooper said.

The driver went onto 40th Street where DPS says he exited the freeway, took the underpass and got back on the 202 in the westbound lanes, eventually exiting at 24th Street.

"The driver pulled into the street, parked in front of the business over here, the helicopter followed, then our officers arrived prior to our arrival is when the helicopter pilot said the passenger and driver switched seats," DPS said.

According to DPS, the passenger passed a field-sobriety test and was not charged at the scene. The driver was taken into custody on suspicion of DUI and could face additional charges of endangerment.

"Well, I apologize if anything might have happened, but I can't tell you, I don't know," the passenger said.