Maine Authorities Investigating 2 Serious Friday Morning Crashes

According to a press release from the Maine Department of Public Safety's Shannon Moss, a Maine Turnpike Authority worker was hurt Friday morning after a crash on I-95 in Cumberland.

Officials say the incident happened around 9:07 AM near mile marker 57 on the southbound side. The worker had just finished clearing debris and had gotten back into his truck when it was struck from behind.

When troopers arrived, they found a white 2023 Toyota Corolla with heavy front-end damage blocking the right lane. The worker’s green GMC pickup had been pushed off the road and into a ditch, with significant damage to the rear.

Police say the Corolla was driven by 26-year-old Eric Sullivan of Lewiston. Early findings suggest he may have fallen asleep, drifted out of the travel lane, and hit the maintenance truck, which had its warning lights on.

The worker, 61-year-old Robert Brown of Poland, suffered minor injuries and was taken to Maine Medical Center in Portland. Sullivan was not hurt.

Traffic was down to one lane for about an hour as crews cleared the crash.

Sullivan has been charged with Driving to Endanger along with additional traffic violations. The investigation is ongoing.

Also on Friday morning, a box truck crash in Howland sent one man to the hospital.

Maine State Police say troopers responded around 5:02 AM to a single-vehicle crash on northbound I-95 near mile marker 220. When crews arrived, they found a 2024 Freightliner box truck on its side about 50 feet off the roadway, deep into the trees.

The driver, 55-year-old Kwasi Baidu of Bangor, was trapped inside the cab. Crews from Howland Fire and EMS worked to free him before he was taken to Eastern Maine Medical Center with what are believed to be minor injuries.

Investigators say speed, along with snowy and rainy road conditions, likely contributed to the crash.

The passing lane was shut down for several hours as crews worked to remove the truck from the tree line.

Howland Fire and EMS and Union Street Towing assisted at the scene.