TORRINGTON, Conn. — A man who is said to have driven from Florida to Connecticut without stopping for sleeping was pulled over after multiple 911 calls reporting he was driving the wrong way on Route 8.
State police said the incident happened just after 4:30 a.m. Wednesday when Troop B in North Canaan received the 911 calls. Callers reported seeing a white SUV driving southbound on Route 8 northbound in the Torrington area.
State troopers managed to find the SUV and were able to safely bring it to a stop at exit 45 in Torrington.
As police evaluated the 71-year-old male driver, they noted that he appeared disoriented.
The driver explained that he had driven from Florida straight through to Connecticut without sleeping. It's unknown where the man began his trip, but a drive from Jacksonville, one of Florida's northernmost cities, to Torrington would be just under 16 hours of driving.
The man was issued an infraction for driving the wrong way on a limited-access highway and contacted family members to safely bring him to his destination.
State police thanked the public who immediately reported what they saw. They also ask drivers if they are traveling for a holiday, to allow for extra time to rest and take frequent breaks from driving to maintain focus while on the road.
Please call 911 immediately if you encounter an emergency situation on the roadway.
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Jennifer Glatz is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jglatz@fox61.com.
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