Naked Driver Chased by Police Ends in Wrong-Way Crash That Shuts Down Entire Highway Near Philadelphia Airport

GettyImages-107784176
Drivers crawl in the blizzard along I-95 past Lincoln Financial Field on December 26, 2010 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The game between the Minnesota Vikings and Philadelphia Eagles was postponed by the NFL. Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images

A police chase in pursuit of a naked driver going in the wrong direction on Philadelphia's I-95 ended in a crash that shut whole sections of the highway.

The chase ended in Southwest Philadelphia near the city's international airport after state police in Delaware first spotted the naked driver. The suspect, who has not been identified, was seen driving north in the southbound lanes of the I-95 late Wednesday, NBC Philadelphia reported.

Read more: Maine Man Films High-speed Police Chase As Car Crashes Into Him

The man failed to respond and pull over when hailed by police who then pursued the vehicle, investigators have stated.

The naked driver continued to evade law enforcement, crossing state lines into Pennsylvania, where state police there took up the chase. Troopers in the keystone state eventually brought the chase to an end, deploying spike strips to flatten the vehicle's tyres.

State Police say a man drove the wrong way on 95 from Delaware into PA - had to use spike strips to stop him - and he was naked. I’ll have the full story tonight on @6abc. pic.twitter.com/yQku9kkiaP

— Trish Hartman (@TrishHartman) January 10, 2019

As a result, the car crashed into a police vehicle in Essington. No one was injured in the collision, including the suspect. He has been taken into custody and is being evaluated at local hospital. The Pennsylvania state police vehicle had to be towed from the scene following the collision but it appeared to have sustained only minor damage.

ABC6 reported that the chase and ensuing collision, as well as a second, unrelated, crash on the I-95, approaching its Essington Avenue exit created traffic chaos. Traffic piled up for miles around on the busy highway as a result.

State police are continuing their investigation into the crash and have not released the suspect's name or given any indication of charges against him. All the southbound lanes on the I-95 which were closed have now been reopened.

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

About the writer


Callum Paton  is a staff writer at Newsweek specializing in North Africa and the Middle East. He has worked freelance ... Read more

To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.

Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek magazine delivered to your door
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go
Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go