AUBURN, MASS. (WHDH) - An expectant mother was among the drivers who narrowly avoided tragedy Friday night when a wrong-way driver who was caught on camera sped the wrong way down Interstate 290 in Worcester before slamming head-on into an SUV in Auburn.
Danilys Medina told 7NEWS her daughter’s sedan was sideswiped by a 43-year-old Southbridge man, who was going the wrong way down the highway. The terrifying incident was captured on dash camera.
“It was just like a hit and it bounced off,” she said as she showed the damage to the vehicle, adding that she was a few cars ahead and could hear the collision as it occurred.
“The impact, the sound, it was so quick that we didn’t know if she reacted on time,” she recalled.
Medina’s daughter, who is 9 months pregnant, said her unborn child was her first concern as she managed to turn away and avoid a total, frontal crash.
“The first thing I thought about was the baby,” said Nayelis Ramos, adding that the stress triggered preterm labor and she is at home recovering. “For whatever reason – decided not only to put our lives at risk, but also the baby’s, that’s not born yet, and everyone else in the way.”
Another driver, Aili Bussolari, said she too, was nearly hit.
“We realized they’re on our side of the highway, in our lane,” she recalled. “I didn’t even think, my hands took over and I just turned.”
State police say the wrong-way driver eventually crashed into an SUV in Auburn, causing serious injuries to both himself and the other driver, who needed to be extricated, according to officials.
He is facing several charges, including operating under the influence.
(Copyright (c) 2025 Sunbeam Television. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)