Crash results in traffic jam
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — A two-vehicle crash on the Caribou Road Thursday reduced afternoon traffic to a single lane, as emergency personnel worked to assist those involved.
The crash was reported around 4:45 p.m. Sept. 8 and occurred on U.S. Route 1, at the driveway to Caron’s Lawn Care. Officer Lynn Hartley responded to investigate.
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
TRAFFIC JAM — A two-vehicle accident on U.S. Route 1 north of the Aroostook River Bridge during suppertime traffic Sept. 8 reduced traffic to one lane for nearly an hour, as emergency personnel assisted those involved in the crash. Officer Lynn Hartley of the PIPD investigated the accident that occurred when a car driven by Samruay Gardner, 70, of Blaine, was struck by a vehicle driven by Angela McDonald, 20, of Presque Isle.
According to the police log, both vehicles were traveling north at the time of the accident.
“A 2002 Pontiac operated by Samruay Gardner, 70, of Blaine, had slowed to turn left into Caron’s Lawn Care. Angela McDonald, 20, of Presque Isle, was following in her 2002 Buick but failed to notice Gardner had slowed to make the turn,” said Hartley.
The left front of McDonald’s vehicle struck the right rear of Gardner’s car, causing Gardner’s vehicle to spin 180 degrees around in the road, landing partially in the middle southbound lane. When police arrived, McDonald’s vehicle was stopped in the northbound right-hand lane.
Gardner had a passenger, identified as Fred O’Clair, 79, of Blaine. McDonald was traveling alone. O’Clair complained of head and neck pain but refused to go to the hospital when he was evaluated by Crown Ambulance personnel. No other injuries were reported.
All occupants were wearing seatbelts. McDonald’s car sustained significant front-end damage and was deemed a total loss. Gardner’s vehicle sustained back-end damage but was repairable.
Beaulieu’s of Caribou was contacted to tow McDonald’s automobile. Brewer’s of Mars Hill was called to retrieve Gardner’s car.
No charges are pending.
Hartley was assisted at the scene by Officers Danielle Levesque and Cole Chandler, PIPD, the Presque Isle Fire Department and Stephanie Beaulieu of the state Bureau of Motor Vehicles.
Traffic was reduced to a single lane for nearly an hour, as emergency personnel finished the investigation and cleared debris from the scene.
