A car driving the wrong way on I-95 southbound at Exit 70 in Old Lyme led to a fatal accident that killed three people in a head-on collision at about 10:30 p.m. last night. The accident led to additional crashes on the northbound side of 1-95 because other drivers were distracted by the scene.
The driver who caused the initial crash was the sole occupant of a sedan vehicle and was flown by Lifestar helicopter to St. Raphael/Yale-New Haven Hospital in critical condition.
All three occupants of the sedan that was struck head-on died in the crash. Police have not yet released the names of the victims pending notification of the families.
Police say the accidents on the northbound side of the highway were minor but succeeded in stopping traffic. The multiple vehicle collisions closed both the northbound and southbound lanes of 1-95 at Exit 70 for about four hours. The highway, which is now clear, reopened at about 2:30 a.m.
At this point, police don't know why the driver was traveling in the wrong direction on the highway. Crime scene investigators were on the scene for several hours collecting evidence last night but the accident remains under investigation.
