Police on lookout for negligent driver who forced tractor-trailer to jackknife

Crews work to mop up spilled gasoline at the scene of Monday's accident in Falmouth. (MSP photo)

FALMOUTH, Maine - Police say a negligent driver entering Interstate 295 failed to yield to a tractor trailer on Monday causing it to jackknife and block northbound traffic in the area of Exit 10 for more than an hour.

Witnesses told police the driver of the semi, Jesse Philbrick, 66, was traveling in the right lane when a vehicle entered 295 from exit 10, failing to yield, which caused Philbrick to apply his brakes and subsequently jackknife.

Philbrick was initially entrapped, but got out of the cab after a passenger side window was broken allowing his exit uninjured.

The accident occurred around 1 p.m. and left northbound traffic at a standstill for about an hour and a half as crews worked to mop up a large amount of fuel spilling from the ruptured fuel tanks. Traffic was diverted to Route 1.

Police are asking anyone who may have witnessed a black sedan entering the interstate just prior to the incident to contact Trooper Connor Willard of Troop B in Gray, 207-624-7076.