CUMBERLAND, RI — Two people were killed in a serious crash on Interstate 295 in Cumberland that shut down northbound traffic for hours. The collision happened around 3:30 p.m. near the Mendon Road overpass and left a smoking wreck on the highway.
The crash caused major delays across northern Rhode Island as crews worked to clear the scene and investigate what happened.
Witness says white car crossed the median at high speed
Alysia Polion, a North Providence teacher, said she saw the crash unfold while driving north to pick up her son in Attleboro. She described a white car traveling south that crossed the median and entered northbound traffic at high speed.
Polion said she sounded her horn until the impact happened. She said the car went airborne before striking a black pickup truck in the high-speed lane.
Impact sent vehicles scattering across all three northbound lanes
According to Polion, the collision was so sudden that nearby drivers had little time to react. She said vehicles around the crash scattered across all three lanes after the head-on impact.
She also said she feared for her safety during the minutes after the wreck, especially as smoke rose from the scene.
Northbound lanes stayed closed for hours as investigators examined the wreck
Crews closed all three northbound lanes for several hours while clearing debris and examining the highway. The closure stretched the disruption well beyond the initial crash and slowed traffic through the area.
Rhode Island State Police have not said why the vehicle crossed the median. Their investigation is still ongoing.
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