IREDELL COUNTY, N.C. — A suspected impaired driver of a tractor-trailer led troopers on a chase on Interstate 77 on Saturday night before striking patrol vehicles and overturning, according to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.
Troopers attempted to stop a semi-truck around 8:10 p.m. that they said was suspected to be in multiple hit-and-run collisions that started in Gaston County. The driver refused to stop and then initiated a chase that went onto I-77 North, they said.
Around 8:30 p.m., Iredell County troopers were stopped along I-77 North in an effort to deploy a tire deflation device to safely bring the chase to an end. The tractor-trailer struck the device but made a sharp turn, colliding with two patrol vehicles that were parked on the shoulder with emergency lights activated.
Authorities said troopers were outside of their vehicles when the crash happened and were not hurt.
The driver was identified as Monte Keith Gore, 63, of Bainbridge, Pennsylvania. He was hurt and was taken to the hospital. He is being charged with driving while impaired, felony speeding to elude arrest, felonious assault with a deadly weapon, among other charges, according to troopers.
The crash closed the northbound lanes of I-77, which were opened back up after 1 a.m. Sunday.
(WATCH BELOW: Highway Patrol gets creative to recruit troopers)
©2022 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/LH3JSJEF3VBLRJLJQESEAG34AM.png)
