FALMOUTH, (AP) – It’ll be up to the Cumberland County district attorney to decide whether charges will be brought against a Falmouth woman accused of causing a seven-car pileup on Interstate 295 by making an illegal U-turn.

The crash at 4:57 p.m. Thursday brought rush-hour traffic to a standstill in both directions and sent five people to the hospital, said Trooper George Loder.

The motorist accused of causing the pileup made a U-turn about a mile north of the Bucknam Road exit; the area was marked “No U-turn” and “Authorized Vehicles Only,” Loder said. The motorist continued on as the cars piled up, he said.

“It’s possible that charges will be pending,” Loder said. “I’d like to see them under the circumstances, but that’ll be up to the D.A.’s office.”

Witnesses took down the motorist’s license plate number.

Authorities got a call from the woman’s attorney after an officer went to her home to inform her that she had been identified as causing the pileup. Troopers declined to release her name because they did not bring charges.

AP-ES-12-08-06 0849EST