One driver Lifeflighted in four-vehicle crash on Maine Turnpike

SCARBAROUGH - A crash on the Maine Turnpike on Friday resulted in serious injury to a Old Orchard Beach man who was Lifeflighted to Maine Med in Portland.

The crash occurred southbound near mile marker 42 around 6:05 p.m. when State Police say a 2017 U-Haul, driven by Jason McAvoy, 59, of Old Orchard Beach, collided with a tanker truck operated by Kenneth Openshaw from Massachusetts. The force of the collision propelled the tanker forward, striking a 2023 Subaru driven by Thomas Gillis, 32, of Old Orchard Beach.

The impact caused a chain reaction, resulting in the Subaru rear-ending a 2005 Dodge Ram operated by Zachary Taylor, 31 of Searsmont, shutting all three lanes southbound.

When troopers arrived, they found McAvoy trapped inside the U-Haul prompting Scarborough, Portland, and South Portland Fire Departments and several tow trucks to respond to ensure a safe extraction. LifeFlight landed nearby and transported McAvoy to Maine Medical Center in Portland while other drivers received treatment at the scene.

Investigators believe driver fatigue and inattention are the main contributing factors to the crash.