BREMERTON — A Washington State Patrol trooper was injured late last week in a collision with a wrong-way driver on State Route 3 as the trooper was preparing to intercept the vehicle.

Dispatchers received over 25 reports of a white sedan traveling southbound in the northbound lanes on Route 3 beginning at about 4:45 p.m. Friday; the first stated the vehicle, a 2012 Chrysler 200, was passing milepost 51 near Poulsbo.

Troopers responded and were preparing to stop the vehicle near Newberry Hill Road. Moments later, the trooper observed the sedan approaching around a corner and the vehicles collided head on.

The trooper, who has been with WSP for five years, sustained minor injuries and was transported to Harrison Medical Center in Bremerton where she was treated and released. There was also another minor injury collision earlier as a result of the wrong-way vehicle near the State Route 308 interchange as drivers tried to get out of the way.

“Wrong way drivers can be one of the scariest, most dangerous people on our highways,” said WSP District 8 Captain James Mjor. “Our trooper had to make a grave decision to put herself between the public and a dangerous driver, risking her own safety. No doubt our trooper’s actions tonight perhaps saved innocent motorists and a suspect in crisis.”

The driver of the wrong-way vehicle, a 39-year-old Quilcene woman, was uninjured and taken into custody by the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office for suspicion of driving under the influence.