State Trooper's Car, Jeep Struck By Semi On Maine Turnpike

KITTERY, ME — A state police cruiser parked in the breakdown lane of a Maine turnpike was struck by a tractor-trailer Wednesday morning, according to Maine State Police.

Johnny Rogers, 52, of Canastota, New York, was charged with failure to move over for an emergency vehicle and distracted driving after police say he hit Trooper Robert Flynn's cruiser on the turnpike near Kittery. Flynn was parked in the southbound breakdown lane behind a flatbed truck that was being towed due to a mechanical issue, police said.

According to authorities, Rogers hit the police cruiser before veering back into the travel lanes and ending up in the far-left lane, striking and pinning a Jeep Cherokee against a concrete barrier in the median.

Flynn, the occupants of the Jeep, and the flatbed truck driver sustained minor injuries, police said. A tow truck driver working beneath the flatbed truck was not injured, according to authorities.

The accident prompted police to close several travel lanes in order to remove vehicles, authorities said.