East Lyme — The crash that left one vehicle on its side and one person in critical condition happened when a driver failed to slow down for congestion, according to state police.

Police said Georgios Koloniaris, 62, of Newtown and Sebastiano D. Urciullo, 43, of New Britain were driving north on Interstate 95.

Koloniaris was driving a 2005 Nissan Pathfinder and Urciullo a 2003 Nissan Frontier that bore the logo of Independent Materials Testing Laboratories, a Plainville-based company.

As he neared Exit 74, Koloniaris came to a stop in the left lane of traffic in reaction to congestion in front of him, police said.

Urciullo then drove his vehicle into Koloniaris's, slamming the Frontier into the median barrier, along which it traveled for 70 feet before coming to a stop.

The Pathfinder, meanwhile, hit the Jersey barrier and then flipped onto its side.

Urciullo was stuck in his pickup truck for about 25 minutes before being airlifted to Hartford Hospital with possible serious injuries, according to police.

A Hartford Hospital spokesman said Friday morning that Urciullo was in critical condition.

Police said Koloniaris and his passenger, Maria Koloniaris, 53, of Newtown, were trapped in their vehicle for a brief period of time.

Crews took Maria Koloniaris to Lawrence + Memorial Hospital at her request.

Wreckers towed both vehicles from the scene.

Police charged Urciullo with failure to drive at a reasonable distance apart.

The crash briefly closed I-95 southbound and left I-95 northbound shuttered for about an hour and a half.