WELLS, Maine — A Maine State Police cruiser was struck Friday morning while troopers were handling a separate crash along the Maine Turnpike in Wells, sending both a trooper and the other driver to the hospital for evaluation.
According to Maine State Police, Troop G troopers were investigating a single-vehicle crash in the northbound median near mile marker 19 at about 7:12 a.m. Three troopers had parked their marked cruisers with emergency lights activated to divert traffic away from the crash site.
Trooper Christopher Caldeira was seated inside his marked blue 2020 Ford Explorer cruiser with its emergency lights on when he was hit from behind by a 2023 Mercedes-Benz sedan driven by 31-year-old Priscilla Eydra Kifayatullah of Germantown, Wisconsin. Police said the collision caused significant damage to both vehicles.
Kifayatullah and Caldeira were transported to York Hospital for evaluation of possible minor injuries.
The turnpike remained open, but traffic was heavily backed up because only one lane was available for travel for about an hour. Police said the scene has since been cleared and traffic is flowing normally.
Assisting at the scene were the Maine Turnpike Authority, York Fire Department, Ogunquit Fire Department, Wells Fire Department, and National Wrecker Service. The incident remains under investigation.
Police also pointed to Maine’s “Move Over” law, which applies to any stopped vehicle displaying flashing lights or hazard lights. Drivers are required to move into the adjacent lane when it is safe to do so, or slow down and proceed with caution if changing lanes is not possible.
The initial crash that prompted the troopers’ response was a slide-off into the median, with no injuries reported to that driver.
