Police in Maine say two people died in a crash that stemmed from a police chase on Interstate 95.
They say the crash happened after a man led police on a high-speed pursuit from Kennebunkport to York on Tuesday.
Police say the pursuit caused traffic to slow on the northbound side of the highway. With traffic slowed, a tractor-trailer struck a passenger vehicle, pushing it under another tractor-trailer.
They say the crash killed 68-year-old Geoffrey Gattis and his wife 68-year-old Elizabeth Gattis, both of Falmouth.
Earlier, police had responded to a report of an erratic driver on I-95. Multiple attempts to stop the pickup truck, which was towing a U-Haul trailer, failed. Three officers were injured in the process, including a Kittery Police Lieutenant who’s cruiser was rammed by the vehicle.
After witnessing the vehicle nearly strike other motorists, a State Trooper attempted to end the chase by ramming the trailer, but lost control of his cruiser and crashed into the guardrail on the median.
The driver of the vehicle was identified as 49-year-old David Stoddard of Topsham, who was eventually taken into custody and also suffered minor injuries. Police said he was charged with Elevated Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Reckless Conduct, Aggravated Driving to Endanger and Eluding.
