WEST PARIS – A Bethel man was seriously injured early Friday morning when his pickup truck apparently hit a culvert and flipped over on its side on Route 26.

William Hopkins, 49, of Bethel, was taken by medical helicopter to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston where he is being treated for head and possible internal injuries, Deputy Bill Nelson of the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office said.

Hopkins was listed in fair condition Friday.

Hopkins’ passenger, Jessica Thurston, 24, of 35 Bird Hill Road in Greenwood, was taken by Tri-Town Ambulance to Stephens Memorial Hospital in Norway after complaining of pelvic pain. She said from her home Friday night that she had no broken bones but was sore.

The accident, which occurred in the northbound lane of Route 26 shortly before 6:30 a.m., may have happened when Hopkins fell asleep at the wheel, Nelson said.

“(Sheriff) Wayne Gallant was driving to work and found the vehicle rolled on the northbound side,” Nelson said.

The driver was bleeding from the head, and he and the passenger were semi-conscious and hanging from their seat belts, he said.

Paris Fire chief Brad Frost said it took rescue workers 12 minutes to remove the victims from the Chevrolet Colorado pickup. The Jaws of Life were used to remove the roof of the truck, which had to be tied and secured to a nearby tree to ensure that it did not roll back on rescue workers, said Frost.

LifeFlight helicopter was dispatched, landing just south of the accident scene on Route 26.

Nelson said Hopkins is a driver for Community Concepts and was transporting the woman back from Westbrook when the accident occurred.

The accident is being reconstructed by Lt. Michael Dailey of the Paris Police Department, who was not available for comment Friday afternoon. But Nelson said all indications are that the driver probably fell asleep and went off the shoulder of the road. There were no skid marks. “They hit a culvert and launched into air. She was sleeping,” he said of Thurston’s account of the accident.

No summonses were issued. “There was no speed or drugs or alcohol involved,” he said.

The scene was cleared about 8:30 a.m. and two-way traffic resumed.