Police investigate rollover, two more accidents
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — Driver inexperience is being blamed for a rollover Aug. 12 on the Egypt Rd. that left the driver and a passenger with minor injuries.
The Presque Isle Police Department were notified around 2:55 p.m. of a personal injury accident on the Egypt Road involving a 2003 Hyndai Elantra, driven by a 16-year-old female from Caribou. Officer Brian McQuarrie responded to investigate. When he arrived, McQuarrie discovered the vehicle had rolled.
“The driver indicated she was southbound on the Egypt Road and drifted toward the center of the roadway. She realized this and pulled towards her right too far, then she overcompensated by steering towards her left. In doing so, she lost control of the vehicle, skidded towards her right across the road, going down into a ditch and rolling the car over,” said McQuarrie.
The operator complained of chest and neck pain. Her 15-year-old female passenger, from Westfield, received a hip injury. Neither case was considered to be life-threatening. They were treated at The Aroostook Medical Center and later released. Both were wearing seatbelts.
The vehicle sustained considerable damage.
Later that evening, the PIPD responded to an accident on the Washburn Road.
Around 11:50 p.m., Officer Larry Fickett investigated the report of a personal injury accident involving at least three individuals. When the officer arrived, he found the vehicle off the road.
“Christopher K. Espling, 24, of Caribou, was the operator and went off the road, with two passengers. The three sustained non-life-threatening injuries,” said Fickett.
Fickett transported the driver and a 25-year-old male passenger to The Aroostook Medical Center. A female passenger was transported to the hospital by Crown Ambulance. All were treated and released. Mike Cowett’s Towing was called to remove the vehicle, a Mercury Sable, which sustained significant damage.
Driver distraction was being blamed for a vehicle accident on the Ginn Road on Aug. 14.
The PIPD received a call from Officer Brady Henderson of the Fort Fairfield Police Department reporting a vehicle had struck a utility pole.
Officer Lynn Hartley responded to find Ryan Fox, 31, of Fort Fairfield, was uninjured when his 2004 Chevy four-door left the road and struck the pole. Fox was reportedly distracted when he attempted to turn on his windshield wipers and took his eyes off the road.
Guiggey’s Auto Repair of Fort Fairfield was called to tow the vehicle.
