MEXICO – “Unbelievable!” said Mexico officer Mike Richard after viewing the remains of a 1994 red Pontiac Sunbird near a driveway off Route 17 Friday morning.

Owned by Douglas Wade of Mexico, the sports car and his 1994 Ford Bronco were parked adjacent to each other, nose-in in Wade’s driveway a mile up from Main Street. Wade was away at work.

At about 10:15 a.m., a 2003 Mercury Grand Marquis, driven by Edward Giroux, 76, of Mexico, crossed the centerline on Route 17, bounced over the curb, sped across lawn and collided with the Pontiac. Giroux was not injured.

Richard believes that Giroux, who said he fell asleep at the wheel, “probably stepped on the gas when he hit it.” After the collision, the Mercury continued up the driver’s side of Pontiac, sandwiching it between the Bronco. Both parked vehicles were shoved out of the driveway and turned 90 degrees by the impact.

“It’s unbelievable that there were no injuries at all with this kind of damage. That is scary. You look at that (Pontiac) and you think you got some protection there, and there’s nothing there,” Richard added.

Med-Care Ambulance paramedics arrived shortly after Richard, helping a very disoriented Giroux out of his car and into an awaiting ambulance.

“He was very confused,” Richard said.

However, he was not transported to Rumford hospital, although Richard advised family members to do so.

“When I arrived, (Giroux) was sitting in his car atop the Pontiac reading a (Sun Journal) newspaper. Unbelievable,” Richard added.

Mexico firefighters stood by the wreckage while Roland Patenaude of Roland’s Automotive, used a wrecker to pull the Mercury off the Pontiac.

Richard estimated total damage to the three vehicles at $40,000.

The Mercury and Pontiac were totaled and the Bronco sustained about $6,000 damage to its body over the rear driver’s side wheel well. A tire on the Bronco’s wheel was ripped completely off the rim by the impact.

Traffic was restricted to one lane for a short time while the cars were separated and towed.

No charges are expected to be filed.

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