A collision Thursday afternoon between a motorcyclist and a Kenworth truck sent the rider to the hospital with life-threatening injuries and forced police to shut down a busy section of Route 1 in Nobleboro for more than an hour.

The crash happened as the motorcyclist tried to negotiate a slight northbound curve near Route 1’s intersection with Center Street and Winslow Hill Road, said Chief Deputy Rand Maker of the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office in a prepared statement.

The bike crossed the center line and hit the southbound truck. The truck driver was not hurt but the motorcyclist was taken to Lincoln Health’s Miles hospital campus with “serious, life threatening injuries,” according to Maker.

Maker said the names of the two drivers will not be released until Friday, as investigators continue to interview witnesses in an effort to determine the cause of the crash. Blood samples were taken from both drivers, but Maker said “alcohol or drugs do not appear to be a factor.”

Police said the motorcyclist was riding a 2006 Harley-Davidson when it collided with the 2017 Kenworth commercial truck around 12:41 p.m.

The sheriff’s office shut down Route 1 for about an hour, when one lane reopened. Normal traffic flow was not restored until 3:50 p.m.

A Sagadahoc County sheriff’s deputy is reconstructing the accident. A Maine State Police commercial vehicle unit was called in to inspect the Kenworth truck.

Dennis Hoey can be contacted at 791-6365 or at:

dhoey@pressherald.com