crash

From the desk of Shannon Moss, DPS PIO

On Saturday, August 14, 2021, at approximately 8:45 hours a.m. State Troopers from Troop C responded to a report of a two-vehicle crash on I-95 in the town of Pittsfield. The preliminary investigation reveals that a 2005 Nissan Altima driven by 28-year-old Kaitlyn Hawkes of Eastport and her passenger, 33-year-old Tiffany Bowen of Pembroke were southbound in the travel lane when Hawkes tried to change directions north. Hawkes attempted to use the crossover and entered the passing lane to do so. At that point, a truck driven by 32-year-old Richard Pillsbury of Winslow was driving in the passing lane and was unable to avoid hitting Hawkes’ vehicle. 

Hawkes was transported to Sebasticook Valley Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Bowen was life-flighted to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Pillsbury was uninjured in the crash. 

Hawkes has been charged with Aggravated Driving to Endanger and Operating with an Expired License. 
Anyone that witnessed the crash is urged to contact the Maine State Police and speak with Trooper Garret Booth. 

As Troopers continue to investigate the crash, we would like to remind motorists that using crossovers is not permitted for any reason whatsoever and is highly dangerous to everyone driving on the interstate. Please drive responsibly and if you miss your exit, proceed to the next off-ramp and reroute yourself to get to your destination safely. 
 

From the desk of Shannon Moss, DPS PIO

On Friday, August 13, 2021, at approximately 7:23 a.m. a single-vehicle rollover occurred on the Turnpike near mile 66 in Gray.

The driver of a 2008 Hyundai Sonata was traveling northbound in the passing lane and was attempting to change lanes. That driver, a female Minor from Minneapolis who was driving on a permit, did not see the other vehicle in the travel lane, jerked the wheel left to avoid hitting the other vehicle, overcorrected right, and went off the roadway. The car rolled over multiple times, ejecting the driver. The car landed on top of the lower half of her body. The driver, in critical condition was sent by Life Flight to Maine Medical Center in Portland from Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston. The passenger, a Minor female from Lewiston and also only on a permit, sustained a head laceration and was being treated at CMMC. 

Maine State law requires that an operator of a vehicle who holds a permit only must have a licensed driver that’s at least 20 years of age, with more than 2 years of experience, holding a valid license, sitting in the front passenger seat, and not impaired.
 

From the desk of Shannon Moss, DPS PIO

On Monday, July 19, 2021, at approximately 7:13 a.m. a car traveling southbound on the Turnpike struck the median guardrail just south of the Old Alfred Rd. overpass in Biddeford. 

The 2017 Mazda SUV then crossed all three lanes of traffic before going off the roadway and into the woods. The car continued to roll over multiple times before landing on its roof. 

The driver, 29-year-old Lindsey Fortin of North Berwick, was trapped inside the vehicle. 

Cpl. Doug Cropper of Troop G was the first Trooper on scene and was able to break the driver’s side window, cut through the airbag curtain and extricate Fortin from the car after she was able to remove her seatbelt.
Fortin was transported to Maine Medical in Portland by Biddeford Rescue with non-life-threatening injuries. 
The Biddeford Police Department also assisted at the scene.
 

A crash claimed the life of one person in Dyer Brook on Wednesday morning.

On May 19, 2021 at 10:30 A.M., the Maine State Police out of Troop F responded to a motor vehicle crash in the southbound lane of Interstate 95 in Dyer Brook.  Michael Marshall, 68, of Houlton, was traveling south in a 1999 Volvo dump truck when he lost control of the truck and left the roadway.  The truck rolled over before striking several trees.  Marshall was pronounced deceased at the scene.  

Trooper Tim Saucier’s initial investigation revealed the vehicle suffered a blown tire causing it to leave the roadway.  The Maine State Police was assisted at the scene by Oakfield Fire Department, Island Falls Fire Department and Houlton Fire and Ambulance as well as Maine DOT.  Interstate 95 was restricted to one lane for several hours during the investigation.  

Speed is not considered a factor and the crash remains under investigation by the Maine State Police Troop F and the Maine State Police Commercial Vehicle Unit.  

From the desk of Shannon Moss, DPS PIO

At approximately 12:30pm on May 11, 2021 a tractor trailer being driven by Casey Thomas, 48, of Sundown, NH was traveling south in the passing lane around mile marker 88 on I-95 in Sabattus, when Thomas reported that an unknown vehicle cut in front of him causing him to go into the median shoulder.  Thomas, who was driving for Maine Drilling and Blasting, stated that he could not get back into the travel portion of road and eventually struck the center guardrail.  Thomas’s vehicle was hauling explosives.  None of the explosives were released.  The vehicle sustained damage to the left front fender and 3 flat tires.  Thomas was not injured.
 

From the desk of Shannon Moss

One person was injured after an early morning car crash in Saco.

Maine State Police say a single-vehicle crash happened on I-95 northbound at mile market 37 on Friday morning at approximately 1:28 a.m. on April 9, 2021.

Troopers says the preliminary investigation shows that 36-year-old Bradford Quinlan from Portland was driving north on I-95 when he left the roadway and his Ford F-150 rolled over into trees. 

Bradford had to be extricated from the vehicle. He was taken to Maine Medical Center for his injuries. 

The crash remains under investigation.
 

From the desk of Shannon Moss

A Maine Turnpike worker escaped serious injury this morning when a tractor trailer, half loaded with wine, sideswiped a turnpike truck.

This happened on Thursday at 9:45 am at Mile Marker 92 North in Litchfield.

According to The Maine State Police the turnpike truck was parked in the breakdown lane with amber lights flashing. The driver and passenger had exited the vehicle to retrieve construction signs.

The crew was finished picking up trash for the day when the loaded tractor-trailer truck was northbound and drifted into the breakdown lane hitting the rumble strip. The noise alerted the workers who were able to get into the ditch safely. The tractor-trailer sideswiped the pickup and then continued into the ditch where the truck rolled over.

The truck spilled its load of wine in the ditch.

The truck was driven by William Rodney Harrington, 59, from Hartford Conn.

A worker from the Turnpike, Michael Robinson, 43, was hit in the leg from debris flying from the crash. He was treated at the hospital.

Harrington was also treated for minor injuries at the hospital.

Harrington was summonsed for a logbook violation and failure to move over.

On March 3, 2021, Troopers from Troop C responded to a report of a crash involving two tractor trailers in the area of mile 154 southbound. Preliminary investigation shows that a tractor trailer driven by Metho Nelson, 34, of New York, NY struck another tractor trailer truck driven by Stewart Hallett, 63, of Mars Hill, Maine. Minor injuries were sustained by both drivers however both tractor trailers require removal by heavy wreckers and the interstate is down to one line in this area. Maine DOT has posted signs advising drivers of this. Please use caution passing the area as work crews will remain on scene overnight until both vehicles can be removed safely. 

Anyone that may have witnessed the crash is asked to contact Trooper Garret Booth of Maine State Police Troop C by calling 207-624-7076 x9.
 

 Maine State Police have learned that two people died in the crash that occurred on Jan. 12, 2021.

 As a result of reconstruction and investigative efforts, police learned that a major police incident that was being investigated on the southbound side of I-95 caused traffic to slow on the northbound side. A Freightliner tractor-trailer loaded with large paper rolls being driven by Lakhveer Gill, 40, of Brantford, Ontario was traveling north, behind him was a 2014 Lexus RX230, driven by Geoffrey Gattis, 68, with his wife Elizabeth Gattis, 68, in the passenger seat, both of Falmouth. Both vehicles had slowed down, when an unloaded tractor-trailer driven by David Herring, 38, of South Portland, failed to recognize traffic had slowed and struck the Lexus from behind. The force of the impact pushed the car into the back of the first tractor-trailer, crushing the smaller vehicle. Both occupants were found deceased.

The investigation is ongoing. Speed and alcohol do not appear to be factors. Once the investigation is complete, it will be reviewed by the York District Attorney’s Office.

UPDATE: Route 9 has reopened.

The Maine State Police out of Troop E are investigating a serious injury crash that occurred at 1:10 a.m. on December 16, 2020, shutting down all travel on Route 9 in Clifton. 

State Police were dispatched to a roll-over crash involving several vehicles, and a log truck that rolled over blocking Route 9.  Troopers investigating the crash determined Jay Preston, 30, of Dennysville, Maine, and driving a 2015 Chevrolet Silverado on a suspended driver’s license, crossed the centerline, striking a 2000 Western Star tractor-trailer unit operated by Rodney Tolman, 56, of Amherst, Maine.  Preston was critically injured in the crash and needed to be extricated by Fire Personnel from Eddington and Holden before he was transported by Northern Light Ambulance to Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor.  

Troopers expect Route 9 to remain closed for several hours while crews clear the roadway, and for a team of state police reconstructionist to complete their scene investigation.   Troopers are urging motorists to seek alternative routes as this crash will impact morning commuter traffic.

This is the only information available at this time.  

Anyone with information about this incident should call at 207-973-3700 x9.

The Maine State Police was assisted by the Maine DOT, Maine DEP, Brewer Ambulance, Eddington Fire, Amherst Fire, and Holden Fire.