MEXICO – Three of four vehicles involved in a 4-car pileup on Route 2 Monday morning sustained an estimated $12,000 in total damages. A fifth vehicle was totaled in a separate crash.

Med-Care Ambulance transported three people from the two nearly-simultaneous wrecks to Rumford Hospital, where they were all treated and released, police said.

At 7:55 a.m., Tara Eustis, 31, of Rumford lost control of her eastbound 1986 Chevrolet sedan on Route 2 in the S-turns by Coulthard’s Pools and Spas at 452 River Road.

Police Chief James Theriault said Eustis’s car spun around in the road, missing a westbound 1996 Subaru wagon driven by John Blancato, 49, of Canton. However, the spinning car forced Blancato to drive off the road to avoid a collision, Theriault said.

The next two westbound vehicles weren’t so lucky.

The rear of Eustis’ vehicle collided with a 1995 Buick sedan driven by Cindy Tibbetts, 46, of Dixfield. The impact sent the Buick crashing into a 1993 Nissan pickup truck driven by John Blais, 35, of Jay.

Tibbetts and Eustis, who sustained a bump on the head, were transported to the hospital. Blancato was uninjured, and Blais complained of a sore knee.

Eustis’ Chevrolet, which was totaled, sustained an estimated $3,000 in damages. Blancato’s car was not damaged, but Tibbetts’ Buick sustained an estimated $6,000 in damages. Blais’ Nissan sustained an estimated $3,000 in damages.

The wreckage tied up traffic for an hour, Theriault said. Icy roads were to blame.

“Ice from snow that was falling got packed down, but it wasn’t real slippery before that time,” he said.

Five minutes before the four-car wreck, at 7:50 a.m., John Dube, 62, of Jay lost control of a 1995 Ford pickup truck while driving west on Route 2 by the Gregory Inn.

“He crossed the road, hit a snowbank, and went over the guardrail, landing on the vehicle’s side between the guardrail and the river,” Theriault said.

Dube was wearing his safety belt, which initially trapped him in the truck.

“It’s a good thing he was wearing it or he would have got killed,” the chief said.

Dube complained of general soreness and was taken to Rumford Hospital by Med-Care Ambulance, treated and released. His truck was totaled.

tkarkos@sunjournal.com

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