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Assistant principal of Florida school faces DUI charge after trooper stops him going wrong way on I-4

Craig Hilgenberg is assistant principal at Lincoln Avenue Academy
Posted at 3:47 PM, Jan 31, 2024
and last updated 2024-01-31 15:47:00-05

LAKELAND, Fla. — The Florida Highway Patrol said a trooper performed a PIT maneuver to stop an assistant principal of a school who was going the wrong way on a Florida interstate.

Authorities said the incident occurred on Interstate 4 in Lakeland last weekend.

Troopers said Craig Hilgenberg, 37, of Dover, Florida, was driving on the shoulder eastbound in the westbound lanes early Sunday morning.

Dashcam video showed Hilgenberg pass a trooper before the trooper turned around and tried to get the suspect to pull over.

FHP said the trooper attempted a PIT maneuver, but Hilgenberg continued to travel the wrong way.

The trooper tried the maneuver again and said Hilgenberg eventually stopped and was arrested.

He faces charges of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and fleeing with disregard for the safety of persons or property.

Hilgenberg is an assistant principal at Lincoln Avenue Academy in Polk County, according to a report from WFLA-TV.