Greek driver, 80, arrested for going wrong way on highway

THESSALONIKI, Greece – Greek police have arrested an 80-year-old driver who entered a highway the wrong way in the dark and drove briskly for 40 kilometres (25 miles), even knocking aside a patrol car that tried to stop him.

Police in the northern city of Thessaloniki said Thursday the man entered the highway near the village of Portaria in the Halkidiki peninsula, and drove toward Thessaloniki at up to 100 kilometres (60 miles) an hour.

Scared motorists called the police late Wednesday, who closed the highway and sent a patrol car to intercept him.

But the suspect allegedly drove on, brushing the police car aside and only stopped several kilometres further on after crashing into the median barrier. He was uninjured.

Police said the man appeared to have health problems.