By Tiffany Williams
August 18, 2025 | Waterford, CT
On Wednesday, August 13, 2025, at approximately 12:30 a.m., Connecticut State Police from Troop E in Montville were notified of a white pickup truck traveling the wrong way on I-395 in Waterford. The vehicle was reportedly heading south on the northbound side toward the I-95 interchange.
Troopers quickly responded and located the truck just north of the interchange. The first responding trooper activated emergency lights, successfully stopping the wrong-way driver from continuing further. Police said the driver corrected his direction of travel before being boxed in by the trooper on the right shoulder to prevent escape.
The driver was identified as 21-year-old Elkin Garcia Velez of New London. Police said Garcia Velez showed clear signs of impairment, including slow speech and the odor of alcohol. Empty beer cans, including one half full, were observed in plain view inside the vehicle.
Garcia Velez agreed to perform Standardized Field Sobriety Tests but failed to complete them to standard. He was arrested without incident and transported to Troop E for processing.
He was charged with reckless driving, operating under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and driving the wrong way on a divided highway. Garcia Velez was released on a $1,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in New London Superior Court on August 27, 2025.