MAGNA, Utah, Aug. 17, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — Police arrested an allegedly drunken wrong-way driver who crashed into an officer’s vehicle early Thursday morning.
Bradley Russell Curley, 42, was traveling east in the westbound lanes on state Route 201 west of Magna about 12:05 a.m. when he crashed into West Jordan police vehicle. No injuries were reported.
Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Cameron Roden said the police officer was traveling home when he spotted a Chrysler Pacifica driving directly at him.
“The officer came to a stop in his marked police truck,” Roden told Gephardt Daily. “The suspect side-swiped the police truck and came to a stop approximately 200 feet later.”
The arresting trooper said Curley had “an odor of alcoholic beverage” on his breath when speaking to officers at the scene, according to a probable cause statement filed in 3rd District Court. He later failed field sobriety tests, police said.
“While standing in the road, he had difficulty with his balance,” the affidavit says.
The man, who later admitted to drinking prior to driving, told police he “believed he was on I-15 and stated he was driving home … to Herriman,” arrest documents say.
Curley was arrested and booked into the Salt Lake County jail for investigation of driving under the influence/wrong way on a highway, a class A misdemeanor.
Gephardt Daily will update this story as more information becomes available.
