crash

On Wednesday, June 11, 2025, at approximately 6:44 AM, Maine State Police responded to a report of a two-vehicle crash on Route 1 in Hancock.

While Troopers were en route, a second call was received reporting that one of the individuals involved in the crash had been struck by a dump truck at the scene. The initial investigation determined that 54-year-old Kevin Minnie of Ellsworth had been involved in two separate crashes in the moments leading up to his death.

Preliminary information indicates that Minnie was traveling at a high rate of speed while traveling westbound on Route 1 when he rear-ended a pickup truck, causing it to roll over and leave the roadway. The operator of that vehicle was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Minnie continued driving westbound for a short distance before going in the opposite lane and striking the rear passenger side of a second vehicle on Route 1 in front of Tideway Market. That driver was not injured.

After the second crash, Minnie exited his vehicle and began acting erratically striking and jumping on several vehicles that had stopped at the scene. As a commercial dump truck approached the area, Minnie ran toward the passenger rear tire and was struck. He did not survive. Investigators believe Minnie was experiencing a mental health crisis that contributed to his behavior.

The crash remains under investigation by the Northern Field Troop with assistance from the Maine State Police Commercial Vehicle Unit and the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office.

On Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at approximately 7:13 PM, Troop G Troopers responded to a multi-vehicle crash at mile marker 13 southbound on the Maine Turnpike in York.

The initial investigation indicates that the driver of a red Mitsubishi Mirage struck a deer in the center lane and the vehicle became disabled. The driver exited the vehicle and moved to a safe location off the roadway, as the vehicle could not be moved from its position. Shortly after, a commercial vehicle carrying fuel crested the hill behind the crash scene and was unable to stop in time.

The truck struck the disabled Mitsubishi, causing it to be pushed into the median. The impact also caused the commercial truck to veer to the right and collide with a BMW crossover vehicle. Both the truck and BMW came to rest off the right side of the roadway.

Fortunately, only minor injuries were reported, and no one required transport to the hospital. The deer did not survive.

The crash scene required a temporary lane reduction, with southbound traffic limited to one lane for approximately one hour and fifteen minutes while the emergency response took place and vehicles were removed from the scene.

The Maine State Police were assisted by the Wells Fire Department, York Police Department, the Maine Turnpike Authority, National Wrecker Service, and Troop K Commercial Vehicle Enforcement.

On Friday, May 16, 2025, at approximately 8:45 PM, Troopers from Troop I responded to a serious single vehicle crash on I-395 at mile marker 1 in Bangor. The preliminary investigation indicates that 23-year-old Devon Ireland of Bangor, was driving a 1992 Mazda Miata westbound when he failed to negotiate a turn and lost control of the vehicle. The car went over the guardrail and came to rest upside down across both eastbound lanes of travel.

The passenger, 23-year-old Lauren McCann of Bangor, who does not appear to have been wearing a seatbelt, was ejected from the vehicle and sustained life-threatening injuries. Ireland also suffered significant injuries in the crash. Speed and alcohol are believed to be contributing factors.

Both occupants were transported to Eastern Maine Medical Center for treatment. Troop I was assisted at the scene by members of the Northern Field Troop. The vehicle was removed by Union Street Towing.

The crash remains under investigation.

On Monday, December 9, 2024, at approximately 6:55 AM, the Bangor Regional Communications Center took multiple reports of a serious personal injury crash on I-95 at mile-marker 181 in Bangor. Upon arrival, Troopers from Troop I found several motorists rendering aid to the male driver of a vehicle who had been ejected and was lying on the roadway. The driver was alive and talking.

Bangor Fire and EMS arrived on scene and took over care for the male operator, who was identified as 25-year-old Kenneth Cartledge of Beverly, Massachusetts. Cartledge was transported to Eastern Maine Medical Center where he is listed in serious but stable condition.

The initial investigation indicates that the Cartledge was traveling southbound when he lost control of his 2002 Ford F-250 pickup before crossing the center median and entering the northbound lane of travel. After entering the northbound lane, Cartledge’s vehicle overturned, and he was ejected. He was not wearing a seatbelt. The vehicle ended up on its side, in the northbound lane, blocking both lanes of travel. This resulted in a traffic back-up and later a full shutdown.

Initial findings indicate Cartledge was driving too fast for road conditions. Troop I was assisted on scene by the Northern Field Troop, Bangor Fire Department, and Union Street Towing.

On Wednesday, December 4, 2024, at approximately 1:27 PM the Bangor Regional Communication Center received multiple calls reporting a crash involving a tanker truck and a dump truck at mile 49 in West Gardiner.

Troopers from Troop I and the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit responded to the scene and learned a truck operated by Dube Transport INC of Sidney, Maine, and driven by 61-year-old Allen Hewett of Sidney, Maine was traveling north on I-295 in West Gardiner. At the same time maintenance crews from the Maine Turnpike Authority were working to pick up a lane closure that had been in place for toll plaza repairs. The Maine Turnpike workers were in the process of collecting cones and were using a dump truck equipped with a crash attenuator trailer to shield the workers from approaching vehicles.

Hewett, traveling in the same lane as the Turnpike workers failed to yield as required by law and move over for the slowed maintenance truck, and crashed directly into the crash attenuator. The truck driven by Hewett rolled over and careened into the cable guardrail, spilling nearly all 8000 gallons of its landfill leachate aka “dirty water”. The Maine Turnpike truck was severely damaged and landed across both northbound highway lanes.

The driver of the Maine Turnpike truck received minor injuries and was transported to Maine General Hospital in Augusta for treatment. Hewett was issued a citation for failing to maintain control of a motor vehicle and failing to yield to a highway maintenance vehicle.

The State Police were assisted on scene by Maine DOT, Maine Turnpike Authority, Maine DEP, Gardiner Police and Fire Department, Dube Transport INC, and AC Towing.

On December 2, 2024, at approximately 7:25 AM, Troopers from Troop I responded to a two vehicle crash southbound on I-295 in the town of Freeport near mile 22. The crash involved a 2018 Volkswagen and a 2024 Toyota. The Toyota was going from the right lane to the left lane and struck the Volkswagen. This caused the Volkswagen to go to the left and strike the guardrail. The Toyota rolled onto its roof coming to final rest in the middle of the interstate.

The driver of the Toyota was transported by Freeport Rescue to Maine Medical Center in Portland for non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the Volkswagen had minor complaint of pain but declined transport. Other than a brief stoppage, traffic was able to get by the scene in a third lane that was a merging lane from the exit 22 on-ramp.

Troopers were assisted on scene by Freeport PD, Freeport Fire & Rescue, Maine DOT, and Atlantic Coast Towing.

On Sunday, March 16, 2025, at approximately 2:38 AM, Maine State Police Troop G units were dispatched to a crash near mile marker 55 southbound on the Maine Turnpike in Falmouth.

Upon arrival, Troopers located two damaged vehicles in the median. One of the operators, 61-year-old Patrick Blair of Lewiston, suffered serious injuries and was transported to Maine Medical Center, where he is listed in critical but stable condition. The second operator, 30-year-old Joshua Uwimana, also of Lewiston, fled the scene on foot. A K9 track was conducted, successfully locating Uwimana approximately one mile south of the crash on the shoulder of the Turnpike. Uwimana showed signs of intoxication and was arrested.

The crash led to a full shutdown of the southbound lanes on the Turnpike for several hours, with traffic being diverted at Exit 63. The Kennebunk Police Department responded to assist with crash reconstruction. Gorham Police Department and the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office also provided assistance. No further information is available at this time.

On Thursday, January 16, 2025, 5:42 PM, Troopers with Troop G responded to a crash at Exit 7 southbound in York. The crash involved two tractor trailer units. One of the tractor trailer units rolled over and was blocking two lanes of the highway along with Exit 7 southbound.

The tractor trailer unit that rolled over was a water tanker operated by 64-year-old Larry Roberge of Waterboro. He was transported to Portsmouth Hospital with serious injuries. The second tractor trailer unit was a flatbed operated by 40-year-old Konstantin Volikov of Fredericton,  New Brunswick. Mr. Volikov was not injured.

The crash is still under investigation. Traffic was slightly backed up due to the lane closures.

Troop G was assisted by MSP’s Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit, York Police Department, York Fire Department, Maine Turnpike Maintenance, and National Wrecker Service.

On Saturday, May 3, 2025, at approximately 7:58 AM, Maine State Police Troop G responded to a report of a tractor-trailer crash near mile marker 30 northbound on the Maine Turnpike in Arundel. Troopers arrived to find the tractor-trailer had struck the median guardrail and caught fire.

The driver, who sustained minor injuries, is believed to have suffered a medical event prior to the crash. He was transported to Southern Maine Medical Center in Biddeford for treatment.

The tractor-trailer was loaded with general freight. As a result of the crash, the left and middle northbound lanes were closed for several hours while crews worked to investigate and clear the scene. Traffic was moderately impacted. The crash remains under investigation.

Agencies assisting at the scene included Wells Fire, Kennebunk Fire, Chandler’s Towing, National Towing, and the Maine Turnpike Authority.