Accident in route 1 | All you need about it

A -automobile head-on collision on Route 1 in Damariscotta closed the dual carriageway for numerous hours Friday, Oct. 14, and despatched the operators of each motor to the hospital. Accident in route 1 | All you need about it

According to Damariscotta Police Chief Jason Warlick, the crash took place around 2:forty p.m. while Gregory S. Prior, 51, of Thomaston, running a southbound 2009 Chevrolet 1500 pickup truck, crossed the centerline and struck a northbound 2017 Toyota RAV-4, operated with the aid of using Victoria I. Ceglinski, 23, of Wiscasset.

Both drivers needed to be extricated from their motors and have been transported to Maine Medical Center in Portland where they stay at press time. As of Wednesday morning, Oct. 17, Prior changed into suggested in honest circumstance and Ceglinski changed into indexed in first-rate circumstance, in step with Clay Holtzman, Maine Medical Center vice chairman of communications and public affairs.

Damariscotta Police Officer Phil Tessier witnessed the collision as he changed into trying to tug Prior over close to Belvedere Road, Warlick stated.

The Damariscotta Police Department obtained reviews Prior changed into concerned in other, separate motor car crashes even as touring south on Route 1 on Friday afternoon, Warlick stated. Impairment from tablets or alcohol on the part of Prior seems to be an aspect withinside the crash, Warlick stated.

“The research is ongoing and crook expenses may also result primarily based totally at the final results of the research,” Warlick stated

Warlick stated the speedy reaction with the aid of using Damariscotta and Newcastle hearthplace departments and Central Lincoln County Ambulance Service may also have stored lives in this case. Firefighters extricated the drivers from their motors and Central Lincoln County Ambulance Service quickly stabilized them for delivery to the hospital, Warlick stated.

“I consider the short reaction and best care with the aid of using CLC Ambulance and the short extraction with the aid of using the Damariscotta and Newcastle hearthplace departments helped restriction the lack of life,” Warlick stated. “Everyone did an exceptional activity managing an awful incident.” Accident in route 1 | All you need about it

The scene changed into clean and the street reopened around 6 p.m., Warlick stated.

Riley Faulkingham, 18, of Boothbay, stated his 2007 Toyota Corolla changed into one of the motors Prior struck earlier than the Damariscotta crash. Faulkingham stated he encountered Prior`s black Ford in Warren simply after Faulkingham grew to become onto Route 1 from Route 90. Faulkingham changed into his manner domestic from Washington County Community College, in which he attends instructions all through the week.

“As quickly as I grew to become onto Route 1, this truck changed into in the back of me,” Faulkingham stated. “I observed he had a damaged grill, which to me doesn`t suggest much, due to the fact round right here he may have hit a deer.”

In his rearview mirror, Faulkingham changed into the cabin a position to inform Prior changed into swerving a little. He changed into leery sufficient to depart a greater area among himself and the car in front of him as he stopped on the site visitors’ mild with the aid of using Moody`s Diner. Faulkingham watched the developing situation as Prior got here up in the back of him quickly, putting the rear of Faulkingham`s car.

Faulkingham estimates Prior changed into doing 20-25 miles in keeping with an hour on the time of impact.

“He was given out of his truck and got here as much as me,” Faulkingham stated. “He changed into apologizing. He changed into a type of like, tweaking. It didn`t appear as he changed into all there. I changed into attempting to inform him I changed into going to tug over up beforehand and he simply was given in his truck and took off.”

Faulkingham followed, calling 911 and reporting his collision and the erratic driving. Following at a secure distance, he stayed on the road with Lincoln County Communications Center even shadowing Prior`s truck from Waldoboro to Damariscotta.

While driving, Faulkingham stated he may want to see Prior waving his hands even though he has been dancing, or having a lively conversation.

“He changed into swerving inside and outside of lanes, slamming at the brakes, dashing up,” Faulkingham stated. “Around Duck Puddle (Road, Nobleboro) he sideswipes an oncoming silver automobile. He took off the mirror … I don`t understand how oftentimes he nearly wrecked. We were given to Midcoast Energy: he went up over one of these curtailing dividers. He totaled one of the symptoms and symptoms there. He simply took it proper out. Just when we were given the aid of using N.C. Hunt, the girl requested me if I noticed the sheriff.

I noticed the lighting manner in the back of me.” Accident in route 1

According to Faulkingham, simply earlier than the crash, Prior left the roadway at the northbound facet of Route 1 to keep away from an oncoming car. “He went into the oncoming lane,” Faulkingham stated. “He nearly hit every other truck. He went down in a ditch and he got here up, out of the trench, and hit head-on. As quickly as it happened, I informed the 911 operator to name an ambulance.

She informed me to tug over and I did.”

In a put up on her private Facebook web page Sunday, Oct. 16, Victoria Ceglinski showed she sustained large accidents to each leg, consisting of breaking her Takedietplan left femur in 10 locations in addition to her proper tibia, fibula, patella, and couple of bones withinside the ankle and foot.

“All this being stated, I`m deeply thankful to be alive and now no longer paralyzed. It`ll be a protracted recovery, however, I am nonetheless right here,” Ceglinski stated in her put-up.