Woman Injured in Multi-Vehicle Crash on I-295 in Portland

A traffic jam caused by a minor crash on Interstate 295 in Portland Wednesday morning led to another multi-vehicle crash that sent one woman to the hospital.

At around 7:40 a.m., Maine State Troopers responded to a two-vehicle crash at Exit 6B southbound on I-295 in Portland. Given its location, that crash caused traffic to back up into Falmouth, according to Shannon Moss of the Maine Department of Public Safety.

About 40 minutes later, troopers responded to a secondary crash in the southbound #1 lane on Tukey’s Bridge. During the heavy commuter traffic, a 2016 Toyota RAV4, driven by 20-year-old Jessica Bryant of Brunswick struck the rear of a GMC pickup which pushed the truck into the breakdown median, Moss said.

Bryant’s vehicle continued southbound and struck a Toyota 4Runner which in turn struck a small Kia sedan. The Toyota 4Runner was then pushed into a Subaru in lane #2.  Bryant’s Toyota RAV4 was disabled and remained in the #1 passing lane while other vehicles were pushed toward the breakdown lane, according to State Police.

Portland Police and Portland Fire Department arrived and tended to Bryant’s injuries and she was eventually transported to Maine Medical Center. Police called her injuries “non-life-threatening.”

Troopers managed the commuter traffic by “cruiser pushing” Bryant’s disabled vehicle which was blocking all southbound traffic to the breakdown lane along the bridge. The vehicle was later towed away.

Witnesses told police that Bryant was using her cell phone prior to the crash which was allegedly a contributing factor to the major crash, Moss said. The Brunswick woman was interviewed at the hospital by investigating officers and summonsed for Operating a Motor Vehicle while improperly using a handheld electronic device or mobile phone.

Troopers remind commuters to remain vigilant at all times for slowing or stopped traffic while traveling on Interstate 295 in the Portland area.