Wauconda Police Officer Blocks Road To Stop Alleged Drunk Driver, Who Slammed Into His Squad

WAUCONDA (CBS) --  A Wauconda police officer stopped a motorist driving the wrong way on Illinois Route 12 by parking is squad car in front of the alleged drunk driver who then crashed into the squad car.

Officer Jon Finze saw the car driving the wrong direction just north of Route 176 and noticed several other cars headed toward the wrong-way driver.

Dash can video shows Finze, with his lights flashing, driving ahead of the driver, Anthony Smith, on the divided four-lane roadway.

Finze, who was driving north, then turns left and stops his squad car in the opposite, southbound lanes.

Moments later, Smith, driving a silver 2016 Nissan the wrong way, crashed into the front end of Finze's squad. This all happened on Sept. 5 around 1:30 a.m.

The video shows Finze running toward Smith's vehicle to make the arrest.

Finze had minor injuries and his K-9, Badger, who was also in the squad, is being evaluated, but is expected to be OK, police said.

Smith, 46, whose license has been revoked due to three previous drunk-driving convictions, now faces multiple drunk driving charges. His blood alcohol level was over 0.16, which is twice the legal limit in Illinois.

"The fact that his driver was not in custody and was driving a vehicle is another epic failure on the part of our criminal justice system," said Police Chief David Wermes. "Thankfully nobody was seriously injured."