WARREN – Six Medomak Valley High School students riding in a car were rear-ended by two classmates, pushing them into the path of an oncoming tractor-trailer, which then crashed into them on busy U.S. Route 1 a few minutes after school got out Monday afternoon, police said.

Two teenagers were taken by LifeFlight helicopter to major hospitals with serious injuries, five youths were treated at a local hospital and released, and one was treated at the scene.

The crashes occurred in front of a convenience store. Maine State Police blamed the accident on inattention by the driver of the 1996 Dodge Neon that struck the 1992 Buick Park Avenue occupied by the six teenagers.

The Dodge, driven by Jessica Black, 17, of Union, was traveling north behind the Buick. She apparently failed to see the Buick slow to make a left turn onto Maple Street, next to a Maritime Farms store, and hit it in the rear. The Buick was pushed into the path of the tractor-trailer, which demolished the front corner of the car’s passenger side. The tractor-trailer was carrying a large tank.

Warren Fire and Rescue personnel and Waldoboro Ambulance crews shuffled stretchers at the scene while tending to the many injured. Troopers, Knox County sheriff’s deputies and fire personnel helped gather information and clean up debris while scores of bystanders gathered at the scene. The major coastal route was shut down for several hours while state police reconstructed the accident.

The most seriously injured, James Walsh, approximately 17, of Warren, was taken a short distance by ambulance to the parking lot of the Odd Fellows Hall, located at the corner of Routes 1 and 90, where an emergency helicopter was waiting. He had been seated in the front passenger spot.

Walsh’s father, Terry Walsh, watched as rescue crews from Warren Fire and Rescue and Waldoboro Emergency Medical Services freed his son from the wreckage. He stood by at the Odd Fellows Hall until the helicopter whisked his son away to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston.

State police Trooper Terry Michaud said he talked with Walsh’s father and told him James had a concussion and broken bones and was doing better than expected.

Kyle Kunesh, 17, of Union was taken by ambulance to Penobscot Bay Medical Center in Rockport, and from there he was flown by emergency helicopter to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor. An EMMC nursing supervisor had no information on Kunesh, who was in the middle front seat of the car.

Kunesh had broken bones in his lower extremities, according to Michaud, and was “doing OK.”

The driver of the Buick, Cody Lorentzen, 17, of Waldoboro, and his other passengers – Thomas, Henderson, 16, no town available, and Maxwell Magbie, 17, of Warren – were treated at Pen Bay and released. Passenger Joseph Powers, 17, of Warren was treated at the scene, Michaud said.

Black and her passenger, Philip Reynolds, 15, of Friendship, were both treated at the Rockport hospital and released.

The driver of the 1996 Kenworth tractor-trailer, owned by Landstar Ranger Inc. of Rockford, Ill., was Douglas F. Self, 63, of Rosepine, La. Self was treated at the scene.

Both cars were demolished, according to Michaud, and the tractor-trailer had about $6,000 damage to the front bumper and grill.

The speed limit where the accident occurred is 45 mph.

No charges are expected from the 2:13 p.m. accident, Michaud said, noting there were some violations, such as weight limit, involving the commercial truck, but none related to the accident.

Michaud said the teen drivers had their licenses long enough so they could operate a vehicle with passengers other than family members. Maine law prohibits young drivers for a period of 180 days from carrying passengers other than family members with them unless there is an adult in the vehicle over age 21, who has been licensed for more than one year,.

All of the drivers and passengers involved were wearing seat belts, and blood samples were taken from all drivers, according to Michaud.