WINDSOR, CT — A Massachusetts man was arrested early Saturday morning after allegedly driving under the influence and traveling the wrong way on Interstate 91 in Windsor, according to Connecticut State Police.
At approximately 2:08 a.m. on April 12, Troop H in Hartford received a report of a red SUV operating erratically on I-91 northbound near Exit 35. The vehicle was reportedly driving without headlights and swerving between lanes.
State police dispatch located the vehicle using DOT traffic cameras. The SUV was seen driving without lights and making erratic lane changes before executing a U-turn on the highway, momentarily driving in the wrong direction. The vehicle was then observed heading the wrong way off the Exit 37 on-ramp before turning around and rejoining the northbound lanes in the correct direction.
A trooper located the vehicle near Exit 38 and attempted a traffic stop using emergency lights and sirens. The vehicle initially slowed and moved toward the exit, but then veered into the gore area, struck DOT signposts, and skidded in the soft shoulder before coming to a stop on the right shoulder.
The trooper ordered the driver to shut off the engine and drop the keys, which he did. The driver, identified as 41-year-old William Chretien of West Springfield, Massachusetts, showed signs of impairment, including slurred speech, red glossy eyes, and the smell of alcohol.
Chretien consented to field sobriety testing and failed. He was taken into custody without incident and transported to Troop H, where a chemical test confirmed his blood alcohol content was over the legal limit.
Chretien was charged with the following:
• Reckless Driving (CGS 14-222)
• Operating Under the Influence (CGS 14-227a)
• Failure to Maintain Lane (CGS 14-236)
• Driving the Wrong Way on a Divided Highway (CGS 14-237)
• Illegal Entry onto Limited Access Highway (CGS 14-238a)
• Failure to Display Lights (CGS 14-96a(a))
He was released on a $10,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in Hartford Superior Court on April 24, 2025.
