Truck driver arrested following crash that closed Interstate 95 in Augusta

A view of the tractor-trailer that crashed Friday morning around Mile 115 in a northbound lane of Interstate 95 in Sidney. The highway was closed later to allow tow trucks to remove it and northbound vehicles were detoured at Exit 113 in Augusta. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal

AUGUSTA — A California man has been arrested following a crash of a tractor-trailer Friday morning that closed the northbound lanes of Interstate 95 in Augusta for about an hour.

Miles McIntyre, 61, of Wildomar, California, was arrested on charges of operating under the influence of drugs, driving to endanger and unlawful possession of methamphetamine.

Maine State Police and the Augusta Fire Department were called to a rollover crash at about 7:51 a.m. Friday near mile marker 115. When they arrived, according to a Maine Department of Public Safety news release, they found the truck had gone off the right side of the road and struck rock ledges, where it rolled onto its side. Its cab was partially in the right lane.

The preliminary investigation indicates the crash was caused by extreme driver fatigue, according to the release. State troopers seized narcotic evidence and a state police drug recognition expert evaluated McIntyre, who was deemed impaired and unsafe to drive a motor vehicle.

Shortly after the crash, northbound traffic on the interstate was backed up south of Exit 113. Maine State Police and the Maine Department of Transportation worked to clear the backup and have one lane open to keep traffic flowing for about three hours, before shutting down northbound lanes for about an hour so A/C Towing could remove the truck.

During the closure, northbound traffic was detoured off the interstate at Exit 113 and routed through Sidney to avoid the crash area. The northbound side of the interstate reopened shortly after noon.

#UPDATE: due to TT Crash at MM115 NB in Augusta, MSP and @MaineDOT1 must close the I95. Troopers will be forcing traffic to exit 113 NB. Drivers will be able to get back on the interstate in Sidney.

— Maine State Police (@MEStatePolice) August 20, 2021

Shannon Moss, public information officer for the Maine Department of Public Safety, said southbound traffic was unaffected, but was moving slowly because of rubbernecking.

Augusta Fire Lt. Jim Carroll said no fluid spills were identified at the crash scene.

“There were no injuries that we noted, and the fuel tanks remained intact, which we were grateful for,” Carroll said.

According to state police, McIntyre sustained minor injuries and was treated at a local hospital. After his arrest, he was taken to the Kennebec County jail. Bail had not been set by early Friday afternoon.