Staff Writer
HOULTON — A Wednesday morning crash in downtown Houlton knocked one of the town’s three ambulances out of service.
According to Sgt. Brian Harris of the Maine State Police, the Houlton Ambulance Department was responding to an emergency call of a motor vehicle crash on Interstate 95 in Dyer Brook at 7:20 a.m. when it became involved in its own crash.
The 2010 ambulance, operated by Glen Targonski, was traveling through the traffic light at the intersection of Bangor and North streets, when it collided with a 1998 Chevrolet S-10 pickup driven by Houlton Code Enforcement Officer Kevin Tingley.
Tingley did not notice the approaching ambulance and his pickup and the ambulance collided head on in the intersection, Harris said. There were no injuries in the accident.
Tingley’s vehicle sustained significant damage and was towed from the scene but the ambulance could later be driven from the scene, but sustained damage to the chassis and box frame, according to Houlton Fire Chief Milton Cone.
The ambulance is currently being serviced by Autotronics in Frenchville — the company from whom the town purchased the vehicle — to determine the extent and dollar amount of the damage, as well as to perform any warranty work it may need. While the vehicle is out of service, Autotronics has loaned the town a replacement. The town has three ambulances in its fleet.
The town was able to get a second ambulance to respond to the original accident. The crash in Dyer Brook was not a significant incident, Harris said. There are no charges as a result of the crash.
