Rollovers send 2 to hospital, 1 driver charged with OUI

By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
    HOULTON — Two individuals were hospitalized following two separate rollovers Monday.
    According to Houlton Police Lt. Dan Pelletier, Lawrence Dooley, 37, of Linneus was hospitalized after he was ejected from his vehicle Monday afternoon, causing serious head injuries. Dooley was traveling east on Smyrna Street in a 1999 Dodge Caravan at 1:14 p.m. when his vehicle went off the right shoulder. Dooley over corrected to get back on the road, causing him to lose control of his vehicle, which skidded across the centerline and off the left-hand side of the road, police said.
    “The vehicle went off the road and rolled over several times for about 210 feet,” Pelletier said. “The driver was found outside the vehicle on a grassy part.”
    Dooley was taken by ambulance to Houlton Regional Hospital for a broken sternum and multiple head injuries. He was later transferred to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, where he was listed in serious condition Tuesday morning.
    “It’s undetermined whether or not he had his seatbelt on,” Pelletier said. “The seatbelt was fastened, but we could not determine if he was in it.”
    Dooley was ejected from the vehicle via the rear sliding door on the passenger side of the vehicle. The driver’s seat and passenger sliding door were both broken in the crash. The vehicle was totaled.
    Officer Zeke Collins investigated the crash, with assistance from Stephen Nason. The Houlton Fire and Rescue squad also responded.
    On Monday evening, at 7:50 p.m., Houlton police responded to the Ludlow Road for a single-vehicle rollover. According to Pelletier, Laura Sloat, 34, of Houlton was traveling west in a 2007 Chevrolet Corvette when she failed to negotiate a turn.
    “The vehicle was going too fast, could not make the turn and rolled over several times before coming to rest against a utility pole,” Pelletier said.
    Alcohol was a factor in the crash, police said. Sloat was summoned for operating under the influence.
    Ryan Blake, 36, of Houlton was a passenger in the vehicle. He was taken via ambulance to Houlton Regional Hospital and later transferred to EMMC. As of Tuesday morning, he was listed in fair condition Tuesday.
    Both occupants were wearing seatbelts. The vehicle was totaled. The incident was investigated by officer Richard York.