Canaan man killed, Woolwich woman injured in crash on I-295 in Freeport

A truck driver from Canaan was killed and a woman from Woolwich was injured Saturday morning in a crash involving a milk tanker truck on Interstate 295 in Freeport.

The accident disrupted traffic in both directions for hours.

Maine State Police said a car driven by Ashley Williams, 27, spun out of control while she was headed south on the highway.

Richard A. Clark, 70, who was hauling a tanker carrying milk behind Williams’ car, tried to avoid hitting the car, and both vehicles then hit the median guardrail.

Clark’s truck overturned and came to rest in the median.

Clark was killed in the collision and Williams was taken to Maine Medical Center in Portland with minor injuries.

Police don’t know what caused Williams to lose control of her car, a Toyota Corolla, said Steve McCausland, spokesman for the Maine Department of Public Safety, and the crash is under investigation.

Thousands of gallons of milk spilled from the tanker, which tipped on its side, McCausland said. However, some of the milk was pumped out of the tanker Saturday afternoon, and emergency crews were able to get it upright and remove it from the crash site around 4 p.m., according to McCausland.

One lane in each direction was closed for six hours while the site was cleared and an investigation began, he said.