Farmington, CT – A Massachusetts man was arrested early Saturday morning after driving the wrong way on Interstate 84, prompting an alert from a wrong-way detection system, state police said.
At 4:56 a.m., Troop H – Hartford received an automated alert from the detection system at the Fienemann Road (Exit 37) on-ramp, showing a red Hyundai Elantra entering I-84 westbound on the eastbound side.
With assistance from the Department of Transportation, troopers tracked the vehicle on traffic cameras but initially could not locate it.
At 5:02 a.m., troopers found the car backing down the Exit 39A connector to Route 9 southbound. A traffic stop was conducted, and the driver was identified as Alex Caiza-Apugllon, 28, of Chicopee, Massachusetts.
Troopers said Caiza-Apugllon showed signs of intoxication and admitted he knew he had driven the wrong way while looking at a map on his phone. He denied consuming alcohol but also admitted he did not have a driver’s license.
Suspecting impairment, troopers administered Standardized Field Sobriety Tests, which Caiza-Apugllon failed to perform to standard. He was placed under arrest without incident and transported to Troop H for processing.
Charges Filed:
• C.G.S. 14-227a – Operating Under the Influence
• C.G.S. 14-36(a) – Driving Without a License
• C.G.S. 14-222 – Reckless Driving
• C.G.S. 14-237 – Driving the Wrong Way on a Limited Access Highway
• C.G.S. 14-238a – Illegal Entry onto a Limited Access Highway
• C.G.S. 14-243(b) – Unsafe Backing
• C.G.S. 53a-64 – Reckless Endangerment in the Second Degree
Caiza-Apugllon was released on a $10,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in Hartford Superior Court on March 28, 2025.
