By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — A local woman was injured Oct. 16 when she was struck by a vehicle as she rode her bicycle on the Chapman Road, just south of Bonville’s Junkyard. “At approximately 7:45 p.m. Wednesday evening, the Presque Isle Police Department received a 9-1-1 call regarding a car-bicycle accident in front of 257 Chapman Rd. in Presque Isle,” stated Chief Matt Irwin, of the PIPD, in a release the following morning.
Police, along with a crew from Crown Ambulance and the Presque Isle Fire Department’s fire/rescue unit, responded and found 44-year-old Bobbie Jo Cameron, of Presque Isle, had been struck by a vehicle traveling south on the Chapman Road.
“Ms. Cameron was with her 24-year-old son, Dustin Cameron, of Woodland, when the accident occurred. Mr. Cameron was on foot and was uninjured. The Camerons were on the right side of the road, also heading south,” said Irwin.
According to witness statements, the car slowed after the collision, but failed to stop at the scene. The vehicle was described as a dark-colored sedan. Pieces of the car were left behind and collected as evidence.
Ms. Cameron was transported to The Aroostook Medical Center with significant but non-life-threatening injuries, including multiple breaks to her leg.
On Oct. 18, police learned the identity of the driver.
“Brandi Guertin, 39, turned herself in and was summonsed for leaving the scene of a personal injury accident, a Class C crime due to the extent of injury. Guertin was also issued a traffic summons for operating after suspension,” said Sgt. Mark Barnes, of the PIPD, in a phone interview Monday morning.
Guertin was given a Caribou Superior Court date of Nov. 19.
Anyone with information about the accident is encouraged to contact Sgt. Barnes at 764-4476.
“The Camerons were lucky. It could have been much worse,” said Barnes.
