VEAZIE, Maine — A Hampden woman was charged with improper passing of an emergency vehicle Wednesday night after she rear-ended a Maine State Police cruiser on Interstate 95.
Trooper Chris Hashey had stopped his maroon unmarked Ford Interceptor in the southbound traveling lane around mile marker 193 around 7:30 p.m. when his vehicle was struck from behind by a 2007 Toyota Highlander driven by Lori Ireland, 59, of Hampden, state police Sgt. Ted Millett said late Wednesday night.
Hashey, who had exited the cruiser to remove a coyote carcass from the highway, saw the Highlander heading toward him and not slowing down, so he ran into the median, Millett said.
Millett said that Ireland indicated that she saw the cruiser’s blue lights flashing but thought that Hashey had pulled a vehicle over and was in the breakdown lane.
Ireland suffered minor injuries and was treated at the scene. Hashey was not injured, Millett said.
Both vehicles were heavily damaged in the crash, Millett said, estimating that each had about $12,000 in damage.