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Terrified callers dodge wrong-way driver

For the first time, we're hearing from terrified callers nearly killed by a wrong-way driver on the Selmon Expressway.
Credit: Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office
Kevin Smisor's booking photo

Tampa, Florida -- For the first time, we're hearing from terrified callers nearly killed by a wrong-way driver on the Selmon Expressway.

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Troopers say early Sunday morning, Chamberlain High School teacher Kevin Smisor was drunk and nearly deadly. For 13 miles, they say he drove the wrong way on both the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway and I-75 before they caught him.

RELATED: Teacher arrested for driving the wrong way near I-75

10 News has now obtained the 911 calls from stunned and frightened people who dodged the wrong-way car and tried to help troopers hunt that driver down.

The calls start in Ybor City, on the Selmon at 22nd Street. A man says he found a car at a dead stop in the westbound lanes -- pointed the wrong way, toward Brandon.

"I stopped next to the guy and, I mean, he's just bobbing his head in circles. He's completely wasted," the caller said. "I honked my horn at him just to make sure that he's all right, but no response. I mean, he's done for, blackout drunk."

Troopers start responding. It's just before 4 a.m. Sunday. Then, another call from the Selmon. This time, at U.S. 301 near Brandon. The car's on the move.

"The Crosstown that's heading toward Tampa -- they're driving the opposite way," the caller told a Florida Highway Patrol dispatcher.

Near that same spot, another call came moments after the caller had swerved to stay alive.

"He was actually in the left lane. I had to move out of the way," the caller said.

Amazingly, the car used a ramp -- still going the wrong way -- to get from the Selmon onto I-75. And it was then, as the car barreled south in the northbound lanes of I-75, that we hear from a man who truly just thought he was about to die.

"Ma'am, all I was trying to do was get out of his way. He followed me across three lanes of traffic," the clearly upset man told the dispatcher. "I kept going to the left and he kept coming at me. I don't know how I got by! Ma'am I'm so shook up. I don't know how in the hell I missed him."

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Troopers say the car finally exited I-75 at Gibsonton Drive. A sheriff's deputy was at the end of the ramp, waiting to stop the wrong-way driver.

Troopers arrested Kevin Smisor. He faces charges for DUI and driving the wrong way on a highway. Troopers say he refused to let them test the level of alcohol in his breath.

RAW: 911 calls for teacher driving wrong-way

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More wrong-way crash stories...

UPDATE: All lanes back open after I-75 wrong-way crash

FDOT seeks way to alert wrong-way drivers

Deadly wrong-way crash on I-275

Autopsy: Wrong-way driver in deadly crash was intoxicated

Man arrested after chase, wrong-way crash

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