PEABODY, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - Shortly before 2 a.m. on Sunday morning, Massachusetts State Police troopers from the Danvers barracks spotted a driver traveling south in the northbound lane of Route 1 in Peabody.

Troopers developed a plan to stop any more drivers from entering the highway to prevent any collisions and stop the wrong way driver.

Within minutes, the wrong way driver struck a Massachusetts State Police cruiser, injuring the driver and the trooper. Both were transported to a nearby hospital, the trooper received only non-life-threatening injuries.

The wrong way driver, 41-year-old Lucas Gustavo Brajak DeAlmeida Benedetto of Newburyport was released from the hospital and is being charged on a slew of charges, including Operating Under the Influence.

He is expected to be arraigned Monday in Peabody District Court.

Copyright 2026 Western Mass News (WGGB/WSHM). All rights reserved.