BANGOR — A driver who came to a stop Thursday in the passing lane of Interstate 95 triggered a crash involving nine vehicles that forced closure of the highway’s northbound lanes, according to the Maine State Police.

The crash occurred at about 8:45 a.m. near exit 183, as a state trooper was stopped with a vehicle on the left side of the northbound lanes.

Rather than moving into the travel lane to give the trooper greater clearance, the driver who instigated the crash came to a stop in the passing lane, the state police said in a statement released to the news media.

The sudden stop forced a second vehicle in the passing lane to stop abruptly, and another vehicle then hit the second vehicle from behind, leading to a series of collisions, officials said.

The vehicle that initially stopped, which was not damaged, then drove off, according to state police. None of the other motorists involved in the wreck was able to provide a description of the vehicle, police said.

One person was taken to a hospital with minor injuries. Police had initially reported 10 vehicles were involved.

The crash occurred north of the interchange with Interstate 395, where the traffic volume increases as motorists travel into Bangor.

Several tow trucks were called to remove vehicles from the scene, according to police. The northbound lanes reopened about an hour later.

The incident led police to issue a reminder to people to avoid stopping in the interstate’s travel lanes.

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