A Maine police officer was killed when he crashed into the back of a box truck on the Piscataqua River Bridge near the Maine-New Hampshire border on Thursday morning, officials said.
Jacob Wolterbeek, 41, of Portsmouth, N.H., was headed home after his shift at the Biddeford Police Department when the crash occurred shortly before 1:15 a.m., officials said.
State Police said Wolterbeek was traveling south on Interstate 95 in a Toyota Camry when he crashed into the truck, which had stopped in traffic on the Maine side of the bridge.
He was pronounced dead at the scene, State Police said.
Biddeford Police Chief JoAnne Fisk said Wolterbeek was the married father of three young children. He was an 18-year member of the department, she said.
“Sergeant Wolterbeek was a respected member of the Biddeford Police Department and a valued city employee,” Fisk said in a statement. “In this time of sorrow, our thoughts and prayers are with Sergeant Wolterbeek’s family, friends, and colleagues. We extend our deepest condolences and offer our full support to them during this difficult time.”
Biddeford Mayor Martin Grohman wrote on social media that he “had the honor of knowing Jake personally and witnessing his dedication to Biddeford.”
“One thing’s for sure, we’ll be doing all we can to honor him, support his family, support our Biddeford Police Department family, and recognize Sgt. Wolterbeek’s contributions to our great City,” Grohman wrote.
Wolterbeek’s body was taken to the chief medical examiner’s office in Augusta in a procession, according to WMTW-TV. First responders watched from overpasses along I-95 as the procession went by, the station reported.
The crash is under investigation by State Police. Southbound lanes on the bridge were closed for several hours but have reopened, State Police said.
Nick Stoico can be reached at nick.stoico@globe.com.
