LEWISTON – A Sabattus man and his son escaped with minor injuries from a Tuesday night crash that shut down the Maine Turnpike exit ramp in Lewiston.

Police said Bruce Garnett Jr. was driving north on the turnpike and preparing to exit the highway in Lewiston when he became distracted. Garnett jerked the steering wheel and the car skidded into a guardrail before flipping, said Maine State Police Trooper Fern Cloutier.

Garnett and his son got out of the Mercury four-door without serious injury, but damage to the car was extreme.

“It ended up splitting the car almost in half,” Cloutier said.

Garnett’s age and that of his son was not immediately available. The crash was reported shortly before 9 p.m.

Cloutier said debris was strewn across the exit ramp when emergency crews first arrived. Police were forced to shut down the ramp as the car was hauled away and the roadway was cleaned. Drivers looking to get off the turnpike in Lewiston had to keep going.

“It was tough because they had to go all the way to Sabattus,” Cloutier said.

The exit ramp was reopened after about 45 minutes.

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