OHP Trooper Blocks Wrong-Way DUI Driver on Turner Turnpike by Taking the Hit Himself

A routine overnight patrol on the Turner Turnpike turned into a split-second decision early Saturday when Trooper Patrick Ball spotted a vehicle traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes near mile marker 161. According to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Ball activated his emergency lights, but the driver kept coming at roughly 40 mph and struck the patrol vehicle. The impact pinned the driver’s car against a wall, ending the wrong-way run before it could reach oncoming traffic.

The driver was taken to a hospital for evaluation and then booked into jail on multiple charges, including DUI. Authorities have not publicly identified the driver or released the full list of charges. The patrol car was damaged in the collision, and OHP noted the outcome could have been far worse had the vehicle continued into the westbound lanes.

For Lawton drivers, the story hits close to home. So many of us travel I-44 and the turnpikes at all hours, whether it’s a late shift, a Fort Sill commute, or a Friday night drive back from the city. Wrong-way impaired driving remains one of the deadliest hazards on Oklahoma highways, and this case shows how fast a quiet patrol can become a collision that protects everyone else on the road. What would you want to know about how troopers are trained to handle wrong-way drivers?