Metro Atlanta officer stops drunk-driver driving on wrong side of the road with patrol car

ROSWELL, Ga. — Officer Thomas Chandler told us the crash keeps replaying in his head over and over. It happened close to where we are just south of Holcomb Bridge on Georgia 400.

Because of his bravery, no one else was hurt.

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It was at this moment when Roswell Police officer Thomas Chandler braced for impact.

“We started getting calls of a wrong way driver driving northbound on the southbound lanes of travel on Georgia 400,” Chandler told Channel 2 Action News reporter Christian Jennings.

This is Chandler’s first job in law enforcement; he started with Roswell PD in February of last year.

Now, he is being hailed a hero for stopping that wrong way driver just after 3 p.m. Monday morning.

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“The first officer on scene saw the driver coming down the wrong way down Georgia 400 and attempted to get him to stop,” Chandler said.

When the driver sped off Chandler knew – he had to step in – to potentially save lives.

Without hesitation, he positioned his patrol car directly in the driver’s path – hitting his car head on just south of Holcomb Bridge on Georgia 400.

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“After the collision, all the air bags deployed – every single one,” Chandler said. “It was almost like I wasn’t thinking, it was more of along the lines I was making a decision I was doing my job.”

Georgia State Patrol arrested the driver 34-year-old Eris Zuniga-Gayatan charging him with DUI reckless driving and driving while unlicensed among other charges.

“At the end of the day, it was my job,” Chandler said. “By the grace of God, put a protective cover over me – that is the only way I can explain it. Also, my other officer slowing that car down; he saved my life.”

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