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SULMA AGUILAR, 32, of Everett, faces charges of operating to endanger and marked lanes violation. The investigation is ongoing and additional charges may follow.

At 9:17 a.m. on July 6, Troopers from the State Police Barracks in Newbury responded to the four-vehicle crash on Route 95 northbound in Newburyport, north of Route 113. Investigation by Trooper David Martinelle indicates that a 2001 Ford Expedition in the left lane operated by AGUILAR collided with a 2005 Freightliner tanker in the adjacent lane operated by 52-year-old Donald Branham of New Hampshire. The tanker, owned by Aranco Oil, of Concord, N.H., was loaded with 10,000 gallons of gasoline.

The collision caused the tanker to brake and slide onto its side, blocking all lanes of traffic and causing two other vehicles to become involved in the crash: a 2007 Honda Odyssey operated by 44-year-old Molly Morin of Hamilton and a Toyota Corolla operated by 29-year-old Marianne Curcio of Newburyport.

There were seven people in the Expedition, two in the Odyssey and one in the Corolla. All were transported to area hospitals. Branham, the driver of the tanker, was not injured.

An Everett man and a juvenile from Chelsea, both of whom were in the Expedition, suffered serious injuries and were transported by ambulance to Anna Jacques Hospital in Newburyport, and from there, by medical helicopter, to Massachusetts General Hospital.

AGUILAR, the Expedition’s driver, and her passenger, another Chelsea juvenile, as well as Curcio, the Corolla’s driver, were transported to Anna Jaques Hospital. Morin, the driver of the Odyssey, and her juvenile passenger, along with another juvenile who was in the Expedition, were all transported to Portsmouth Hospital in New Hampshire.

Two other passengers in the Expedition, a man and woman, were transported to Exeter Hospital and Merrimac Valley Hospital, respectively.

Several thousand gallons of fuel spilled into the Merrimack River and was being tended to by the Coast Guard, Salisbury Fire Department and Clean Harbors.

Route 95 was shutdown in both directions, northbound at Scotland Road and southbound at Route 495, for several hours.  Southbound lanes were shut down for approximately six hours with back ups to the New Hampshire rest areas. Two lanes opened northbound after approximately seven hours with back ups to Newbury.

The investigation was conducted by Troop A of the Massachusetts State Police with assistance from State Police Collision Accident and Reconstruction, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement, and Crime Scene Services Sections. Assistance was also provided by Fire Departments from North Andover, Hampton, Groveland, Merrimac and Pease as well as Police and Fire from Newbury, Newburyport, Salisbury and Amesbury. New Hampshire State Police provided Troopers to assist with the southbound road closure. The Massachusetts Highway Department also provided assistance.

AGUILAR’S case will be prosecuted in Newburyport District Court.

No further information is available at this time. Please do not call the barracks directly.