FARMINGTON — A three-vehicle chain-reaction crash on U.S. Route 2 that resulted in minor injuries to the drivers was caused by distracted driving, police said.

Farmington Officer Ryan Rosie said Georgiana Weihe, 25, of Boulder, Colorado, was tending to her dog while driving a Toyota SUV east on Wilton Road, which is U.S. 2, toward the Whittier Road intersection when she rear-ended a Subaru Outback that was stopped in front of her. The Outback, driven by Patricia Sullivan, 50, of Danville, Vermont, was stopped because the vehicle in front of her, a Honda SUV, had stopped to take a left turn into a business, Rosie said.

The impact from Weihe’s SUV hitting Sullivan’s car caused the Outback to hit the Honda, driven by Nancy Lyons, 50, of Hanover.

Rosie said Weihe was distracted by her dog and didn’t realize there were cars stopped in front of her. He said distracted driving is one of the leading causes of accidents, and that stretch of U.S. 2 is the town’s busiest road.

All three women were evaluated at the scene by NorthStar EMS personnel for minor injuries and none required hospitalization, he said.

Weihe’s car is an older Toyota, which Rosie said he suspects the crash rendered a total loss. Sullivan’s Subaru sustained extensive rear-end damage, he said, but the Honda was not badly damaged.

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Maine State Police and the Farmington Fire Department assisted at the scene.

Madeline St. Amour — 861-9239

mstamour@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @madelinestamour