Update: Driver in wrong-way crash with trooper appears in court

The wrong-way driver in a Friday night collision appeared in East Fork Justice Court on Tuesday morning where he said he would hire his own attorney.

James Coolbaugh, 20, of South Lake Tahoe was taken into custody early Saturday morning after he was cleared at Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center.

According to court documents, Nevada State Police troopers obtained a warrant to take a sample of Coolbaugh’s blood.

Coolbaugh faces potential charges of driving under the influence failure to yield, reckless driving all with substantial bodily harm, in addition to driving the wrong way.

Coolbaugh is free on $46,650 bail under Department of Alternative Sentencing supervision. He was ordered to wear a device that determines if he has been drinking alcohol.

Coolbaugh is scheduled to return to court with an attorney on Dec. 4.

According to reports filed in support of the arrest, one trooper said he saw a black pickup northbound on Highway 395 that passed him at an estimated 90 mph.

James Coolbaugh

 Another trooper spotted it and turned his vehicle into the path of the pickup, which hit the front passenger’s side injuring him.

The trooper was helicoptered to Renown Regional Medical Center and released from the hospital.

The Nevada State Police is investigating the crash, a spokesman said and would not be releasing further information until that has been complete.

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A Nevada State Police trooper is home recuperating after a collision involving a wrong-way driver 11 p.m. Friday, according to the Nevada Police Union.

“This absolutely saved lives,” the union that represents state troopers said. “The trooper put his patrol car in the way of a wrong way driver. This was done after he was able to move another vehicle driving in front of him out of the fast lane over to the slow lane.”

According to reports on social media, the trooper was southbound on Highway 395 and managed to put his patrol vehicle between the driver and other traffic near the intersection with Johnson Lane.

One witness said they were southbound when the trooper went past at the last second and collided head-on with the wrong way driver.

“The trooper is banged up, sore and bruised but will make a full recovery,” the union said.

There was an arrest connected to the collision.