Medical issues spur dangerous wrong-way driver incident on U.S. 87




PASCALLE BIPPERT
Personnel with the La Vernia Police Department, Wilson County Sheriff’s Office, and Wilson County District 3 EMS catch up Jan. 6 with a wrong-way driver on U.S. 87 between La Vernia and Sutherland Springs. The elderly male driver, suffering from medical issues, had driven erratically from the Bexar County line and through La Vernia, before coming to a stop near Baldy’s Classic American Diner.

A gray Dodge Ram pickup truck with handicapped plates — weaving in and out of the southbound lanes and into the oncoming northbound traffic on U.S. 87 Jan. 6 — had other drivers swerving to get out of the way. The erratic, dangerous behavior continued from the Bexar County line, through La Vernia, and almost to Sutherland Springs.

When law-enforcement personnel with the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office and La Vernia Police Department caught up with the vehicle around 1 p.m. Friday, they discovered the elderly male driver was suffering medical issues.

Law-enforcement officers had pursued the vehicle through La Vernia as the driver headed toward Sutherland Springs; the vehicle finally came to a stop across U.S. 87 from Baldy’s American Diner.

The driver, according to law-enforcement at the scene, was transported by Wilson County District 3 EMS for medical attention.

According to officers, no one was injured by the wrong-way driver during the incident.