According to a press release from the Maine State Police Department, an Ellsworth man was struck and seriously injured by a large truck Sunday evening on the Maine Turnpike, near the Biddeford exit.

Police say that Jared Felling, 39, was attempting to evade Biddeford police by crossing the Turnpike on foot when he was struck by a commercial truck driven by Michael Kilmer, 68, of West Virginia at approximately 8:30 p.m.

Kilmer told police that he initially thought he hit a deer while driving northbound. After reviewing his in-truck camera, he called the Portland Police Department to report the incident, saying the man was running across the Turnpike.

Troopers were able to narrow down the exact location where Felling was struck and directed rescue services to the area.

According to state police, Felling was “seriously injured,” in the tall marshy area just before the exit. Police say he suffered serious injuries to his legs and head and was in the early stages of hypothermia.

Troopers provided aid until Kennebunk Fire Rescue arrived, and transported Felling to Maine Medical Center in Portland, where his injuries, though serious, were considered non-life-threatening, said police.

According to Maine State Police, Felling had a history of criminal activities, having recently been caught stealing from vehicles parked near the Biddeford exit. He was actively fleeing Biddeford Police when he decided to cross the Turnpike to evade them.

Additionally, investigators determined that Felling removed his court-ordered ankle monitor earlier in the day in Ellsworth, and the Waldo County Sheriff’s Office had issued a temporary arrest warrant for Felling for Violation of Conditional Release.

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