Carrollton Police: Wrong-Way Driver Causes 4 Wrecks

A wrong-way driver caused several wrecks and closures on southbound Interstate 35E early Friday morning, authorities said.

Carrollton Police Department officials said they received a call about a vehicle that caused a wreck while traveling north on southbound I-35E in Farmer's Branch at about 4:50 a.m.

The driver, 27-year-old Every Cooper, continued driving after the initial wreck and was then involved in another collision on I-35E near Valwood Parkway, according to police. Cooper was involved in two more wrecks on the interstate, one near Belt Line Road and another just south of Sandy Lake Road, before an officer was able to stop him by blocking his car.

"We generally want to get out there and stop this before someone gets killed, and luckily today we were able to do that," Carrollton Police Department spokesman Sgt. Andrew Horn said.

Officers arrested Cooper for reckless driving and driving while intoxicated, according to police. They said he drove the wrong way for three miles and was responsible for four wrecks.

"Our officers were at the right place at the right time and were able to prevent any furthur injury and prevent any major loss of damage," Horn said.

One driver was injured in one of the three Carrollton wrecks, police said.

One of the crashes briefly shut down I-35E near the Whitlock Lane/Sandy Lake Road exit. The interstate was reopened just before 6 a.m.

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