Woman Injured in I-95 Crash After Falling Asleep at the Wheel

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Driver Hospitalized Following Sidney Accident

SIDNEY—A 42-year-old woman from Ellsworth was hospitalized with serious injuries after her vehicle crashed into a tree in the median of Interstate 95 near Sidney on Friday afternoon. The incident occurred around 3 p.m. when Ashley Peters, the driver of a box truck, lost control of the vehicle, leading to a collision that prompted a significant emergency response.

Erratic Driving Leads to Dangerous Crash

According to Maine State Police spokesperson Aaron Turcotte, the box truck, owned by Eastern Mold Remediation, began swerving erratically on I-95 before veering into the median and striking a tree near mile marker 118. The situation escalated rapidly, with State Police receiving multiple reports about the truck’s hazardous movements.

“State Police dispatch received a call about a box truck driving erratically northbound from mile 112,” Turcotte stated in a news release. “As troopers were moving to intercept the truck, multiple calls came in to report that the same truck had crashed into the median at mile 118 in Sidney.”

Driver Fell Asleep at the Wheel

When troopers arrived on the scene, they found the truck overturned on its side. Authorities later determined that Peters had fallen asleep while driving and was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. The impact was severe enough to cause significant damage to the vehicle and left Peters with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

Peters was transported to MaineGeneral Medical Center in Augusta for treatment. Despite the severity of the accident, officials confirmed that her injuries are not expected to be life-threatening.

Traffic Disruptions on I-95

The crash caused significant delays for northbound traffic on I-95, which was restricted to one lane for nearly three hours as emergency crews worked to clear the scene. The roadway was fully reopened around 6 p.m., but the incident served as a reminder of the dangers of drowsy driving.

Attribution source: Centralmaine.com