WATERVILLE, Maine — A crash and a car fire briefly closed Interstate 95 in both directions Tuesday morning.
A Whitefield man was charged with operating after suspension and driving to endanger following a crash at about 7:30 a.m. on the southbound on-ramp in Waterville.
Maine State Police say Kevin Swift, 29, attempted to pass a vehicle driven by Andrei Llantro, 19, of Waterville as he yielded while entering the highway.
Swift then struck a vehicle driven by Margeret Thomas, 34, of Winslow, pushing Thompson's vehicle in the middle of both lanes but facing north, in the path of a tractor-trailer.
The driver of the tractor-trailer, William Carlson, 63, of Wells, narrowly avoided striking Thomas's vehicle by driving into the median, state police say.
Swift was taken to an area hospital.
At the same time, troopers found a 2012 Subaru Outback fully engulfed in flames in the northbound lanes of I-95 near the town of Sidney.
The driver was safely out of the car when police arrived, state police say.
Police believe multiple small explosions were caused by ammunition in the car. The interstate was closed to clear the fire and keep drivers safe.
The Outback was destroyed by fire.
