A Madison woman died after icy roads caused a multi-vehicle pileup on Interstate 95 in Waterville on Friday evening.
Initial crash reports came in around 7:19 p.m., with collisions reported on both northbound and southbound lanes over the Messalonskee bridge, according to Shannon Moss, a spokesperson for the Maine Department of Public Safety.
As the bridge became congested on the northbound lane, numerous secondary crashes occurred, Moss said. At least 10 crashes occurred in that area on Friday night.
In reaction to the secondary crashes, 59-year-old Michelle Demchak, who had been driving a Ford Escape, stopped to assist the occupant of a 2014 Hyundai Accent that had crashed into the bridge railing. At the time that Demchak stopped to provide aid, a 2015 Ford F-150 driven by Bradford Enos, 39, of Atkinson entered the crash area, according to Moss.
The Ford, which had been towing a car carrier, struck the Hyundai and hit Demchak, who had been standing near the Hyundai. Demchak died at the scene of the crash.
Three other people involved in the crash were transported to local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries, Moss said.
The area was shut down for approximately 2 ½ hours, with traffic diverted into Waterville as first responders and emergency personnel worked to assess the scene.
An ongoing investigation into Demchak’s death is underway, although officials believe that icy road conditions were the main contributing factor in all of the crashes.
