AUGUSTA — A Limerick man pleaded not guilty Tuesday to manslaughter and aggravated assault charges for allegedly rear-ending an SUV stopped in traffic for construction on Interstate 95 in Augusta last year, killing a Brewer woman and her dog.

Sari Ohmart, 68, of Brewer, was a passenger in a 2024 Toyota SUV, driven by her husband, Leslie Ohmart, 70, which was southbound on Interstate 95 near Exit 113 in Augusta on Sept. 13, 2024. The vehicle was stopped in traffic due to a construction zone lane closure.

The Ohmarts’ SUV, according to state police, was rear-ended by a 2019 Ford pickup truck driven by Robin C. Carter, 29, of Limerick, leading to a five-vehicle crash.

The crash killed Sari Ohmart, who was pronounced dead at the scene, as was a dog in the Ohmart’s vehicle. Leslie Ohmart, and Robin Carter, and others involved in the crash, were taken to MaineGeneral Medical Center in Augusta with what police described as non-life-threatening injuries.

Carter, who remains out on bail, pleaded not guilty to manslaughter and aggravated assault at the Capital Judicial Center. Manslaughter is a Class A felony-level crime punishable by up to 30 years in prison.

Carter’s attorney, Darrick Banda, said in court that no substances, such as alcohol or drugs, were involved in the incident. He said he’s awaiting information from the state on the speed of the vehicles involved in the crash. The Maine State Police reconstructed the accident.

Sari Ohmart, according to a proclamation issued after her death by the Brewer City Council and posted on her husband’s Facebook page, was a teacher at Glenburn Elementary School for 36 years. She was born in Connecticut and settled and raised a family in Brewer. She served as an election worker in Brewer and as a trustee of the Brewer Public Library. In her retirement, she spent time with her grandchildren, traveling, scrapbooking, seeing live music, creating pottery, visiting with her book club and hiking.

The crash happened at 3:09 p.m. as traffic was stopped in the south lanes of the interstate because of a construction zone lane closure, according to Shannon Moss, spokesperson for the Maine Department of Public Safety.

Troopers from several divisions responded to the crash, along with emergency workers from the Augusta Fire Department, Maine Department of Transportation and Maine Department of Environmental Protection. A law enforcement specialist with the Federal Protective Service of the Department of Homeland Security, who happened to be in the area, also assisted, according to state police.

Superior Court Justice Robert Mullen took Carter’s pleas Tuesday. A dispositional conference is planned in August.