OLD TOWN, Maine — State police stopped an intoxicated wrong-way driver on Interstate 95 late Tuesday night, and an Orono woman is facing multiple charges after the incident.
Sarah Balaban-Garber, 27, was spotted heading north in the southbound lanes shortly before 10 p.m. near mile marker 197, according to Trooper Adam Coover.
Coover, who initially spotted Balaban-Garber’s vehicle, shadowed her in the northbound lane and attempted to stop her at a crossover at mile 199.
“She didn’t stop. She swerved around me and kept going north,” Coover said.
Coover subsequently got back onto the northbound side and positioned his cruiser in another crossover at mile marker 200, just north of the LaGrange exit, and successfully spun Balaban-Garber’s vehicle.
Balaban-Garber managed to continue north for another mile before going off the road, and the trooper doubled back at mile marker 204, found the disabled vehicle and took his suspect into custody.
“We take it very seriously when we get a vehicle going the wrong way on the interstate,” Coover said.
Balaban-Garber was charged with operating under the influence, driving to endanger and failing to stop for a police officer, Coover said.
She was transported to Penobscot County Jail following her arrest. Nobody was injured in the incident.
