Dec. 12—A Biddeford police sergeant died early Thursday morning after crashing into the back of a box truck on the Piscataqua River Bridge.
Maine State Police said Jacob Wolterbeek, 41, of Portsmouth, was pronounced dead at the scene while driving home at the end of his shift.
Wolterbeek was a husband and father of three young children. He served on the Biddeford Police Department for 18 years, according to a statement from Chief JoAnne Fisk.
“Sergeant Wolterbeek was a respected member of the Biddeford Police Department and a valued city employee,” Fisk said. “At this time of sorrow, our thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends and colleagues of Sergeant Wolterbeek.”
Fisk said details about services in Wolterbeek’s honor will be shared as they become available.
Law enforcement officers across the state participated in a procession between Ogunquit and Augusta Thursday morning to take Wolterbeek’s body to the chief medical examiner’s office, state police confirmed.
The southbound lanes of the Maine Turnpike were closed for hours after the crash on the Maine-New Hampshire border. State police said the box truck was stopped in traffic around 1:14 a.m. when a Toyota Camry driven by Wolterbeek rear-ended the vehicle.
The crash remains under investigation, according to Maine State Police.
This story will be updated.
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