SKOWHEGAN — Two game wardens were lucky to avoid serious injury Thursday morning in a four-car crash that shut down Route 150 for nearly three hours, police said.
Game Warden Chad Robinson was treated at Redington-Fairview Hospital for minor injuries, but Skowhegan Police Chief Ted Blais noted the crash could’ve had more devastating results.
“It’s unbelievable these guys did not get seriously hurt or killed,” said Blais, referring to Robinson and fellow Game Warden Thomas McKinney.
The trouble started when a Honda Civic owned by Charlie’s Auto Sales had run out of gas and pulled over on the side of Route 150, according to Blais.
Robinson and McKinney, who were heading southbound toward town in separate pickup trucks, came upon the disabled car and Robertson pulled his truck over because he thought the vehicle had no plates, Blais said.
Robinson pulled his truck behind the vehicle and McKinney stopped his in front of it, the police chief said, and shortly after, a southbound Jeep driven by Sean Cipriano, 32, of Athens came upon the scene and struck Robinson’s pickup.
Blais said Cipriano, who had his 13-year-old son in his vehicle, was not paying attention to the road. The game wardens were on the passenger side of the vehicles near the rear of the white car.
McKinney managed to leap over a guardrail and avoid injury but Robinson was struck, according to Blais.
Upon impact, Cipriano’s vehicle launched into the air and wound up on its roof, Blais said. Somehow, he and his son managed to escape injury.
The Jeep, Robinson’s pickup and the disabled car were all demolished in the accident, the police chief said.
“People really need to pay attention to their driving,” Blais said.
In addition to state and Skowhegan police, the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office went to the scene, Blais said. Deputy Mike Ross and state police Trooper Darren Foster will reconstruct the crash.
It’s possible Cipriano could be charged, Blais said, as the case will likely be submitted to the district attorney’s office to be reviewed.
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