Exclusive: Davie Officer Thinks Fast, Stops Wrong-Way Driver
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DAVIE (CBSMiami) – A quick-thinking Davie police officer stopped a wrong-way driver from causing massive damage on Sunday.
According to authorities, 37-year-old German Alfredo Mayorga was driving westbound on the eastbound lanes on I-595.
"I saw the traffic ahead of me swerving out of the way. At that time, I wasn't sure of what was going on," said Davie Police Officer James Krey.
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But right away he realized he needed to do something.
"I quickly activated my lights to try to slow the traffic down behind me, so they wouldn't get ahead of me and possibly get into an accident with this vehicle and also to try to alert the driver that was traveling the wrong direction," said Krey. "I was able to alert the driver and he was able to stop in front of my vehicle 5 or 10 feet."
Mayorga apparently got out of his ran after stopping.
"As soon as he stopped, the driver actually started to run towards the guardrail. I actually thought he was trying to flee from the scene. Once he got to the guard rail, he immediately sat down. He told me he had seven beers to drink that night," said Krey.
A Florida Highway Patrol trooper backing up the call said after Krey came to a stop his patrol car was hit by another driver traveling in the eastbound lane. The driver told police they were unable to stop.
No one was injured in the collision.
The FHP trooper arrested Mayorga after he reportedly failed a field sobriety test. Once transported, Mayorga's blood alcohol level was reported to be .0195, which more than twice the legal limit.
The trooper said Mayorga, who is from Honduras, did not have a valid driver license on him and said he has never had one.
"He saved people's lives. We've seen a number of times recently when these incidents end tragically and this one did not," said Davie Police Department Capt. Dale Engle.
Officer Krey said he doesn't feel like a hero and that he's just glad that no one was hurt.
"It's my job. I love this job. It's not something that we just, we come on duty and go off duty and we stop being a police officer. If you're a police officer, you're always a police officer," he said.
Mayorga is being charged with driving under the influence and operating a motor vehicle without valid license.
He is being held on $600 bond.
