911 caller reports 'nitwit driving in wrong direction'

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Channel 2 Action News obtained 911 recordings that show how a wrong-way driving officer drove almost seven miles on a busy interstate before slamming into a bus-load of passengers.

The recording shows someone drove close to seven miles on Interstate 85 before slamming into a Greyhound bus.

Now, DeKalb police have charged Atlanta Police Officer Chris Niezurawski with driving under the influence, reckless driving and driving on the wrong side of the road. They said he was off duty when the crash happened at about 5 a.m. Thursday.

"There's a nitwit driving up the HOV lane in the wrong direction," said one of the callers to 911 Dispatch. "He's in the southbound lane heading north on 85."

Dave Cameron is one of the people who dialed 911 when he passed the wrong-way SUV.

"Out of nowhere, I saw headlights," Cameron said. "I just pulled over at Shallowford Road. I didn't know what to do. I just pulled over and called 911."

Records show 911 dispatched police cruisers quickly, but they couldn't reach the wrong-way driver until after the crash. Other 911 callers saw that crash, too.

"There's a really bad accident on 85 going south right before the 285 exit in the middle of the highway," a caller said. "It looks like a truck or a van that was hit."

No one on the bus was seriously injured. Niezurawski was treated and released from Grady Hospital. He remains on paid administrative leave from APD. The DeKalb Solicitor's Office believes he could make his first court appearance on July 9.

WSBTV