DIXFIELD – A young man was killed Saturday night after the car he was riding in flew off Route 2 atop Morrison Hill, barrel-rolled through the air and slammed roof-first into a clump of trees down an embankment.

The driver, a young woman reportedly in serious condition after crash, was rushed by LifeFlight helicopter to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston by 8:45 p.m.

Investigating Dixfield officer Mark Dow said police were still trying to determine the victims’ identities.

Both occupants had to be removed from the crushed vehicle by Rumford and Wilton firefighters using hydraulic tools. Firefighters took about 15 minutes to cut away the roof, which was flattened into the passenger compartment.

Dow said the single-vehicle wreck occurred about 7:30 p.m.

Based on evidence at the scene and Maine State Police Trooper Kyle Tilsley’s reconstruction work, assisting Dixfield officer Jeffrey Howe said the black Pontiac Grand Prix was traveling west at an unknown speed when it entered a turnout atop the hill.

“Because of its speed, the car yawed from side to side, then it went sideways and the driver lost it,” Howe said. “It came down the turnout in a sideward skid 45 feet from where it struck the curbing. At the curbing it bounced and became airborne. It rolled over – possibly a full rotation – and struck roof first into the trees.”

Police believe that after the car wrapped itself around tree trunks, momentum caused the vehicle to rotate around and land right side up on its wheels.

Firefighters from Dixfield, Wilton, East Dixfield and Rumford were at the scene from 8 to 8:15 p.m., cutting the roof off to reach the victims.

Traffic on Route 2 was shut down until about 9 p.m. after the helicopter had lifted off from the middle of the road.

Police remained on the scene taking measurements while awaiting the medical examiner’s arrival.

tkarkos@sunjournal.com

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