PORTLAND — A teenager from York remains in critical condition this morning after a crash on Interstate 295 in Yarmouth on Wednesday afternoon.
Erika Jolie, 18, was driving a 1995 BMW when she lost control of the vehicle around 3:48 p.m. The car crossed over the median, entered the northbound lane and slid sideways into a Ford Escape driven by Robert Rusnak, 50, of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
According to the Maine State Police, Jolie was apparently sending a text message while driving. It was raining heavily at the time of the crash.
Jolie is listed in critical condition at Maine Medical Center. Rusnak suffered minor injuries.
Traffic was backed up for more than six miles, from the Royal River bridge in Yarmouth to the Bucknam Road exit in Falmouth, after police closed both northbound lanes of I-295.
Oct. 6, 11:37 p.m.
YARMOUTH – State police say a teenager from York who apparently was sending a text message while driving suffered life-threatening injuries Wednesday when she lost control of her car on Interstate 295 in Yarmouth.
Erika Jolie, 18, was listed in critical condition at Maine Medical Center in Portland on Wednesday night, after a crash that blocked northbound traffic for about 30 minutes.
State Trooper Larry Rose said he found a partial text message on Jolie’s cell phone. Rose said Jolie was driving a 1995 BMW south when it crossed over the median, entered the northbound lane and slid sideways into a Ford Escape driven by Robert Rusnak, 50, of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
The BMW was struck on the driver’s side. Rose said it was raining heavily at the time of the crash.
Rusnak was taken to Maine Medical Center with minor injuries.
The crash was reported at 3:48 p.m., just before the exodus of commuters from downtown Portland.
A Yarmouth police dispatcher said traffic backed up for more than six miles, from the Royal River bridge in Yarmouth to the Bucknam Road exit in Falmouth, after police closed both northbound lanes of I-295.
Staff Writer Dennis Hoey can be contacted at 791-6365 or at:
dhoey@pressherald.com
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