Pedestrian Hospitalized After Being Hit by Tractor-Trailer

A woman was struck by a tractor trailer as she stepped onto Interstate 95 in Oakland around 11:30 this morning, according to police.

Maine State Troopers said Marilyn Whitford, 65, of Orono, parked her van along the breakdown lane near Mile 128 to retrieve some water from the back of her vehicle. As she stepped out of the van, she walked into the path of an oncoming tractor trailer in the travel lane.

The truck driver, Martin Thurston, 42, of Fairfield, attempted to swerve to avoid hitting her and troopers believe she came in contact with the trailer portion of the truck. Her injuries are not considered life threatening.

Southbound traffic was stopped for about 30 minutes and then reopened to one lane (traffic now is back to normal). The injured woman was taken to Maine General and later taken by helicopter to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor.