Two people were killed and a passenger critically injured on Interstate 295 on Monday when a motorist traveling the wrong way caused a head-on collision, state police said.
A Yarmouth woman entered the northbound lane heading south at about 10 a.m., according to police. The accident occurred near Exit 11 in Falmouth when she crashed head on into a Honda SUV.
Both drivers were pronounced dead at the scene. Police identified the victims as Nancy Ezhaya, 72, of Yarmouth and Allen Apblett, 61, of Oklahoma.
Apblett’s wife was critically injured and transported to Maine Medical Center in Portland.
The crash closed the northbound side of the highway in that area for around three hours during one of the busiest travel times of the year. Officials were expecting over 1 million vehicles on the Maine Turnpike this weekend.
Traffic was diverted onto Route 1 in Falmouth until the highway reopened just after 1 p.m.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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