Elderly New York Man Drives Wrong-Way on Hudson Valley Highway

An elderly man with dementia drove for at least 18 miles in the wrong direction on a highway in the Hudson Valley.

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On Monday around 3 a.m., Delaware County 911 reported receiving approximately 30 phone calls regarding a suspicious vehicle wrong-way driver on State Route 17 in Sullivan and Delaware counties.

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The callers were unable to give an adequate description of the vehicle.

Responding state police and Delaware County Sheriff patrols were unable to locate a vehicle.

At approximately 6:15 a.m., Delaware County 911 & Sullivan County 911 centers started receiving additional phone calls that a vehicle was traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes west of Exit 92 in the East Branch area.

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Troopers from State Police barracks in Liberty responded and coordinated a road closure of St-17 East of Exit 94 and were able to stop the vehicle after he was driving the wrong way in opposing traffic for at least 18 miles.

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The investigation found that an 86-year-old man from Ithaca was reported missing by his wife to the Ithaca Police Department after he didn't return home that night.

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The wife said her husband suffers from dementia.

Police say the driver was confused when questioned by troopers. He was transported by troopers to Garnet Health Medical Center-Catskills for a physical and mental evaluation.

Police confirmed there were no injuries are accidents:

There were no reported accidents or injuries from this prolonged incident.

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