Maine State Police Investigating Fatal Pedestrian Crash

A man from Ellsworth is dead following a Wednesday morning crash in Hancock.

According to a press release from the Maine Department of Public Safety's Shannon Moss, at about 6:44 on Wednesday morning, first responders were called to the scene of a multi-vehicle crash on Route 1 in the town of Hancock.

While the Maine State Police Troopers were en route to the scene of the crash, they got a second call stating that one of the people involved in the crash had been hit by a dump truck.

The press release explains that the deceased, 54-year-old Kevin Minnie, had been involved in several crashes in the minutes before his death.

The press release says, in part:

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, Mr. Minnie reportedly exited his vehicle and began hitting and jumping on other vehicles in the area.

When a dump truck entered the area, Minnie reportedly jumped in front of the rear passenger tire of the truck. He was struck by the vehicle and did not survive.

The tragic incident remains under investigation, but it does appear that the deceased had been having some kind of mental health crisis at the time of his death.

Our thoughts go out to all those involved.

If you or a loved one are having thoughts of self-harm, there is help available. Just dial 988 from any phone.