Holyoke man charged with OUI after striking State Police cruiser on I-91

CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) - A Holyoke man is facing OUI charges after driving the wrong way on I-91, striking a motorist and a police cruiser. The Massachusetts State Police told 22News that at approximately 4 a.m. on Saturday, troopers received multiple reports of a wrong-way driver traveling southbound in the northbound lanes of I-91 in Chicopee. Callers stated that the vehicle was driving at a high rate of speed. Troopers initiated a rolling roadblock on I-91 North near Exit 9, activating emergency lights in an attempt to safely stop the vehicle and protect other motorists. As a police cruiser got into position to stop the wrong-way vehicle, the driver swerved and crashed into a State Police K-9 Unit cruiser, striking the rear driver's side. The driver then struck another passenger vehicle head-on. The operator of the wrong-way vehicle, identified as 28-year-old Jose Santiago of Holyoke, was detained and evaluated for minor injuries. He faces several charges, including Operating Under the Influence of Alcohol and Negligent Operation of a Motor Vehicle. The trooper who was struck, his K-9, and the operator of the passenger vehicle who was struck were all brought to a local hospital to be treated for injuries and are expected to recover. “The incident we witnessed this morning in Chicopee is another reminder of the serious danger created when someone makes the reckless decision to drive while impaired. I want to commend the bravery and quick actions of our Troopers, whose efforts to stop this wrong-way driver likely prevented further injuries and potentially saved lives,” said Massachusetts State Police Colonel Geoffrey Noble. “Since the tragic loss of Trooper Kevin Trainor in early May, this marks the third incident involving a Trooper being struck by a wrong-way operator. These incidents demonstrate the risks our Troopers and all of law enforcement face every day on our roadways. The Massachusetts State Police remain committed to enforcing impaired driving laws and holding accountable those whose dangerous decisions put lives at risk.”