AUBURN – A woman hurt in a Friday morning crash on Washington Street was identified Tuesday as 54-year-old Ruth Burgess of Auburn.

Burgess remained in critical condition at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston with head injuries suffered when she was thrown from her car and pinned under another vehicle in the wreck.

Investigators said Burgess was driving north on Washington Street about 6 a.m. Friday when her car collided with a tractor-trailer driven by Frank Pietrzykowski, 54, of Granby, Mass. The truck was northbound also.

The impact forced Burgess’ Dodge Shadow into the southbound lane, where it collided with an oncoming car driven by Roland J. Lemay, 27, of Lewiston.

Burgess was ejected from her car and became wedged under the back of the southbound vehicle, police said. She was the only person hurt.

Maine State Police assisted with a reconstruction of the crash scene as an investigation began. No charges were filed.

For days, police were unable to find any of Burgess’ relatives to notify them about the crash. Investigators contacted her employer and eventually found a family member.

Police said Burgess lived in the Auburn area a few years ago before moving away. It was believed she left the area for at least two years before returning recently and moving into the Bass Motel on Washington Street.

Lemay was driving a 2000 Chevrolet four-door at the time of the wreck. Pietrzykowski was driving a 2000 Freightliner. The police accident report did not state the name of the company he was driving for.


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