WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. — Raleigh May Cupples was driving across the I-55 bridge Tuesday when the vehicle in front of her changed lanes – and she saw a semi-truck driving in her direction.
The incident was reported Tuesday morning by KARK, with the flow of traffic stopped after a semi-truck drove down the wrong lane on the Memphis-Arkansas bridge. By 11 AM, traffic reportedly resumed.
“I live in Crittenden County, and I was headed to Southhaven to go to work,” Cupples said. “I usually cross the bridge four times a week, minimum.”
Vehicles slowed down, leaving Raleigh to assume a wreck had occurred. Traffic stopped for about five minutes before she said it finally started moving. Her car was behind a different semi-truck, which changed into the right lane, giving her a view of what was slowing things down.
“The big truck gets over in the right lane, and that’s when I see that truck,” Raleigh said. “My first thought was, is this a truck hooked up to another truck pulling it?”
Video taken shortly before shows the semi-truck was actually driving down the wrong lane of traffic.
Arkansas State Police arrived on the scene. By this point, Raleigh said they were on the Tennessee side of the bridge. The trooper jumped the median with his weapon drawn, she said. She began recording video at this point. The trooper holstered his weapon, jumped down from the barrier, and went to the driver’s side of the cab.
From there, the officer opened the door and attempted to get the driver to exit the vehicle. Raleigh said the man refused. The trooper tried to pull the man out of the vehicle, but it appears in the video that the man resisted. A second trooper arrives with a rifle, and a third officer also shows up with a gun drawn. With multiple officers working together, they pull the man out of the vehicle and take him to the ground.
“They handled it very well,” Raleigh said. “I feel like the officers did what they had to do to get him out of the truck. I don’t think they used excessive force. The man refused to get out, for whatever reason.”
After he was detained, Raleigh said it was probably not longer than five minutes before traffic resumed.
“I’m still baffled why he got on that bridge,” Raleigh said.
No information has been released by authorities about the suspect, potential charges, or the incident thus far. Inmate rosters for both Crittenden County and Shelby County do not appear to show an arrest as of the publication of this report.
NEA Report has requested more information from the Arkansas State Police about the incident. It will be added to this story when received.
NEW UPDATE (8/28):
Family members say the driver was a 75-year-old Vietnam War veteran who was suffering from a medical condition. Read their story here.
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Probably another Non English Speaking Reading illegal alien from California following his GPS which took him the wrong way
RAJ Transport. California. No read/speak English? Enquiring minds want to know.
These illegal drivers are murders, should be prosecuted!
Well written article..It’s highly probable that raj transportation is based out of Kentucky & owned by Pradip Patel, maybe contact him for the full story at
859 288 0016
This is my uncle, who is a 75 year old Vietnam Vet. He was experiencing a medical emergency, which the Officers wouldn’t have known at the time. My uncle was not arrested and actually transported to the hospital
I would appreciate if Stan Morris would contact me by email to update this story.
Reaching out through email
This makes me so sad to hear. My husband is a truck driver and also a veteran. I am praying your uncle is getting the help he needed and so glad nobody was hurt.
Thank you.
Two days ago I saw a similar incident in Little Rock Arkansas. Swift driver was going the wrong way on the I-40 off ramp exit 161.