LAKELAND, Fla. — A Polk County assistant principal was arrested after he led a Florida Highway Patrol trooper on a wrong-way chase on Interstate 4 while driving drunk, the agency said in an arrest report.
It happened just before 1:30 a.m. Sunday in the area of I-4 at County Line Road in Polk County. FHP says a trooper was called following reports a driver was going eastbound on westbound I-4.
When the trooper got to the area near U.S. 98 on I-4, he reportedly saw 37-year-old Craig Hilgenberg driving east on the inside shoulder of westbound I-4.
Hilgenberg is an assistant principal at Lincoln Avenue Academy and currently is on administrative leave pending review, a Polk County Public Schools spokesperson said in a statement.
Despite having his emergency lights on his cruiser, the trooper said Hilgenberg passed him and didn't stop his red Honda Accord. This caused the trooper to make a U-turn on I-4 to follow and catch up to Hilgenberg.
As this wrong-way chase was happening, FHP dash camera video showed traffic going by. The video also shows the trooper attempting a P.I.T. maneuver to try and stop Hilgenberg.
The first attempt didn't fully stop Hilgenberg and he continued to drive the wrong way on I-4. A second P.I.T. maneuver successfully stopped him and his Accord along the shoulder.
As Hilgenberg was being arrested, the trooper said in the arrest report he smelled a "strong alcoholic odor" on him and said Hilgenberg was slurring his words. The report said Hilgenberg threw up in the parking lot of the Polk County Jail, which the trooper said also smelled like alcohol.
Hilgenberg reportedly refused to give a breath sample. He is currently charged with driving under the influence and fleeing/eluding law enforcement.