Citing the deadliest year on record for pedestrians, the Cumberland County District Attorney announced a new policy that will require law enforcement to treat crashes that result in injury as potential criminal or civil violations.
Updated: 6:00 PM EDT May 27, 2026
PORTLAND, Maine —
Injuring a bicyclist or pedestrian in a crash could come with tougher penalties in Portland, due to a new policy announced Wednesday by the Cumberland County District Attorney.
According to District Attorney Jacqueline Sartoris, all law enforcement agencies in the county will be required to treat crashes involving injured pedestrians or bicyclists as potential criminal or civil violations.
The policy comes after what Sartoris’ office described as the deadliest year on record for pedestrians in Cumberland County in 2025. That year saw 7 fatal pedestrian crashes and 1 fatal bicycle-related crash in the county.
Under the new policy, police must secure crash scenes, preserve physical and digital evidence, and send complete reports to the District Attorney’s office for review. Prosecutors will determine whether criminal charges or civil violations are warranted.
“Crashes that kill or seriously injure people on foot or on bikes are not just ‘accidents,'” Sartoris said. “They are violent events with real victims. Police officers are already doing the work of investigating these crashes — now this information will be shared with prosecutors to determine if a charge is appropriate.”
Sartoris and Andrew Zarro, executive director of the Bicycle Coalition of Maine, plan to formally announce the policy at noon Wednesday in Lincoln Park in Portland.
Zarro said the policy responds to growing concern about traffic violence and a lack of accountability.
“This policy represents real change,” Zarro said. “It acknowledges that people walking, biking and rolling have rights on our roads, and that when those rights are violated, there must be accountability.”
According to the Bicycle Coalition of Maine, there were 227 crashes involving pedestrians in Maine in 2025, 23 of which resulted in death. One of those pedestrians killed was a 5-year-old kindergarten student, after a school bus driver hit him in Standish in December.
There were also 204 crashes involving bicycles last year and five fatalities.
The District Attorney’s office said it will issue written guidance in the coming days and provide training to police departments on evidence and reporting standards, as well as applicable criminal and civil laws. The office also plans to track and share data on referrals and outcomes in serious bike and pedestrian cases.
“If you walk or bike responsibly, you should be able to get home alive,” Sartoris said. “Our public safety values require that every road user’s life is treated with equal dignity and seriousness in the justice system, and that we hold people accountable when they cause harm.”
Cumberland County DA announces tougher response to bike and pedestrian crashes