A motorcyclist sustained critical injuries in an accident Saturday in Ellsworth that backed up traffic for miles.

WABI-TV reports 31-year-old Matthew Murphy of West Enfield was hurt when his motorcycle struck a car that was stopped at an intersection. Murphy was thrown from the bike when it hit a car driven by 59-year-old Dawn Curtis of Lamoine and was not wearing a helmet. The car was stopped in the roadway, waiting to make a left hand turn from Route 1A onto the Red Bridge Road. Curtis wasn't hurt in the accident.

Another motorcyclist, 31-year-old Paul Heath of Howland, was traveling behind Murphy when the accident happened. He avoided injury by laying his motorcycle down before it was impacted by the crash.

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