Woman keeps driving after crash, dies in 2nd collision minutes later, Maine police say

A Maine woman was involved in two back-to-back car crashes, the second of which was fatal, police say.

Martha Shellman, 43, was driving a Dodge Journey in Belgrade, a small town just outside of Augusta, on the afternoon of Oct. 20 when the first collision occurred, Maine State Police say.

Minutes later, in Readfield, Shellman passed over the center line, drove off of the road and crashed “head on” into a tree, police said in an Oct. 31 news release.

Upon arriving to the scene, Maine state troopers discovered Shellman was deceased. She was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.

The Kennebec County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the first crash and believes alcohol and speed were factors in the collision, police said.

The deputy assigned to the case at the sheriff’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from McClatchy News.

In March, state officials said Maine experienced a “staggering increase” in fatal car accidents compared to previous years, according to The Boston Globe.

This story was originally published October 31, 2022 at 11:52 AM with the headline "Woman keeps driving after crash, dies in 2nd collision minutes later, Maine police say."