49°
A Norwalk police officer saw a car driving the wrong way on Elm Street, which is a one-way street, at about 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, police said. The officer turned on his lights and sirens, but the wrong-way car did not stop and continued onto West Avenue, where it occasionally drove in the wrong lane, according to the police report. The officer followed the car onto Interstate 95, where the driver eventually stopped near the Exit 16 on-ramp, police said.
Officers ordered the driver, 63-year-old James Murphy of Bridgeport, to get out of his car, police said. The vehicle was still in drive when Murphy stepped out, and the car rolled into a police car parked in front of him, police said.
Murphy later told officers he had had two drinks and had smoked crack-cocaine earlier in the evening, according to police reports. Officers took a sample of Murphy’s urine to be sent to the state crime lab for analysis.
Murphy was arrested and charged with engaging police in pursuit, and issued tickets on charges of driving the wrong way on a one-way street, failure to drive in a proper lane, improper turn signal and failure to stop for a stop sign. His bond was set at $10,000, and he is due in court Feb. 27.
Police also plan to file for an arrest warrant on charges of driving under the influence based on the results of Murphy’s urine test, police said.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Norwalk and receive free news updates.
