CASCO — An apparent road rage incident on Route 302 on Monday is being investigated as a criminal act, Capt. Don Goulet of the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday night.

“There’s enough information for me to say it was an intentional event,” he said. “Who was the aggressor is what we have to determine.”

The two drivers and two passengers involved are all from Cumberland County, but their identities are being withheld because of possible charges and protection of any victims, he said.

All four have been interviewed, along with an eyewitness to the crash, Goulet said. There are “conflicting stories” about what happened, he said.

Goulet said investigators have learned that the driver of the pickup truck and the driver of the sport utility vehicle, who were not known to each other, had some type of disagreement while they were driving along Route 302 around 1 p.m. Monday. The dispute continued for several miles until the sport utility vehicle went over a guardrail and into Crooked River at the Naples town line, he said.

The captain said police received a call from a passenger in the SUV about an erratic driver, but before deputies could respond, the vehicle ended up in the river.

The male driver and his two passengers, one man and one woman, made it out of the water to safety, he said, and were taken to Bridgton Hospital.

The SUV is registered to a New Hampshire resident, Goulet said.

The male driver of the pickup truck remained at the scene. He is the registered owner of the truck, Goulet said.

There were no weapons involved in the incident, he said.

The vehicles have been impounded and computer chips in them will be examined to determine speeds, braking and turning activity in the final seconds before the crash, he said. An accident reconstruction team is also working on the case.

“It will help us align the evidence” and compare it to witness statements, Goulet said.

“Based on all the information, we’re going to take it to the District Attorney,” Goulet said.

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