State Police Force Wrong Way Driver off Maine Turnpike

A State Trooper was slightly injured Monday night when he had to drive his cruiser into a car headed the wrong way on the Maine Turnpike in Sabattus.

Trooper Lee Vanadestine encountered the car around 10 pm as it was driving along a construction area in the southbound lane. According to spokesman Steve McCausland, the Trooper pulled his cruiser alongside the other car and forced it into the median guardrail.

The driver, 67-year-old Steven Burns of Augusta, told troopers he was confused. Burns apparently had entered the turnpike at the Sabattus exit and drove four miles in the wrong direction. State Police received a number of calls from other motorists reporting the wayward driver.

Trooper Vanadestine had bumps and bruises but did not require hospitalization. Burns was not injured, McCausland said.

State Police did not file any immediate charges against Burns but will be reviewing the the incident. Troopers also plan to notify the Maine Secretary of State’s Office to have Burns’ driver’s license status reviewed.