On cam: NC trooper uses car as barrier to protect others from wrong-way driver
Trooper Cody Thao pulled across the lane in front of a vehicle moving at more than 100 mph, using his car as a barrier. Joshua Ray Bibey, 26, of Raleigh, plowed into the side of Thao's squad car and came to a stop.
Posted — UpdatedHe purposely put himself in the path of a car in the middle of a high-speed pursuit — and it was all caught on dash camera video.
Trooper Cody Thao says he didn't even have time to think. Dash camera video shows Thao racing down I-40. As he exits Rocky Quarry Road, you can see headlights in the distance, before he quickly cuts off a DWI suspect driving the wrong way.
The chase started in Johnston County before entering Raleigh and reaching speeds of 100 miles an hour. The suspect, 26-year-old Joshua Bibey, was driving 50 miles an hour when he crashed into Thao.
Thao's decision to put his life on the line and allow the vehicle to hit his last month stopped the erratic driver from hurting others, said Col. Freddy L. Johnson, Jr., commander of the State Highway Patrol.
"He was either going to hit me or hit someone else coming eastbound on I-40," said Thao.
The 28-year-trooper only recently joined the patrol — graduating from the academy 7 months ago.
“I could not be prouder of Trooper Thao and his quick decision to stop the wrong way driver. His actions most undoubtedly saved lives,” Johnson said.
Troopers are not trained to chase someone on the wrong side of the highway, so officials said the crash Thao caused may have been the last chance to stop the wrong-way driver before something worse happened.
Because Thao was able to rotate his vehicle in time, he was not injured in the crash.
“I realize how lucky I am to walk away completely unscathed — not a single scratch on me — and it’s just a testament to God and his mercy," he said.
"His willingness to put himself in harm’s way is representative of the lifesaving work our members do each day," Johnson said. "Placing others before ourselves is not just a saying among the law enforcement profession, it’s a reality of what we do for the betterment of the communities we serve.”
Bibey, from Raleigh, was charged with driving while impaired.
Bibey has an extensive criminal record dating back to 2011. Most of his charges are for possession of drugs, including cocaine. In March, he was charged with felony fleeing to elude arrest with a motor vehicle and assault with a deadly weapon.
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