Ellsworth Maine Man Fatally Hit by a Truck After Route 1 Crashes

An Ellsworth man died after being hit by a dump truck on Route 1 in Hancock, following a series of crashes.

Ellsworth, Maine Man May Have Experienced a Mental Health Crisis Before the Crashes

Kevin Minnie, 54, of Ellsworth, is believed to have suffered a mental health crisis that led to the incidents.

Maine State Police responded to a report of a two-vehicle crash on Route 1 in Hancock at approximately 6:44 a.m. on Wednesday. While the Troopers sped to the scene, a second caller reported that a man involved in the initial crash had then been struck by a dump truck.

An Ellsworth, Maine Man's Vehicle Struck Two Others on Route 1 in Hancock

An investigation into the circumstances suggests that Minnie was traveling westbound on Route 1 at a high rate of speed when he rear-ended a pickup truck, causing it to roll over and leave the roadway. The driver of the truck was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Minnie continued driving west for a short distance before he crossed to the opposite lane and struck the rear passenger side of a second vehicle in front of Tideway Market. That driver wasn't hurt.

Maine Police Say an Ellsworth Man Acted Erratically Before Being Hit by a Dump Truck

After the second crash, Maine Department of Public Safety Spokesperson Shannon Moss says Minnie got out of his vehicle and began acting erratically, striking and jumping on several vehicles that were stopped at the scene.

As a commercial dump truck approached the scene, officials say Minnie ran toward the passenger rear tire and was struck. He did not survive.

Investigators believe Mr. Minnie was experiencing a mental health crisis that contributed to his behavior. The crash remains under investigation by the Maine State Police and the Hancock County Sheriff's Office.

We'll update this story as more details become available.