Car rolls over in Strong, 3 people injured

A couple from Florida and a woman from Phillips were injured Monday afternoon when the SUV they were in left Route 4 in Strong, struck a pole and rolled over, according Franklin County Sheriff Scott Nichols Sr. Franklin County Sheriff’s Office photo

STRONG — Three people were injured Monday afternoon when a vehicle went off Route 4, struck a utility pole and rolled over, according to Sheriff Scott Nichols Sr.

Deputies Brian McCormick, Sgt. Matthew Brann, Lt. David St. Laurent and Alec Frost responded to the report of an accident near the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife building at about 4:28 p.m.

Nils Matolay, 81, who was driving a 2018 Dodge Journey, told deputies that he nodded off at the wheel, which resulted in the vehicle going off the road, according to an initial investigation, Nichols wrote in a news release.

Matolay and his passengers, Marie Bubier, 78, of Phillips and Barbara Matolay, 74, were injured in the crash. The Matolays are from Pace, Florida.

Bubier was taken by a LifeFlight medical helicopter to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston. The Matolays were taken by NorthStar EMS ambulance to Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington, according to Nichols.

An SUV lies on its side beside Route 4 in Strong on Monday as a LifeFlight helicopter prepares to fly an injured passenger to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston. Franklin County Sheriff’s Office photo

Bubier was listed in serious condition Tuesday at CMMC, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Nils Matolay was treated and released and Barbara Matolay was admitted, an FMH spokeswoman said Tuesday.

The crash remains under investigation.

Strong Fire Department and off-duty Farmington police officer Jacob Richards also assisted at the scene.

It is the second vehicle accident for Bubier since March.

Bubier and her husband, Paul, had their car struck by a tractor-trailer on Center Bridge in Farmington, pushing it into a guardrail and tipping it onto the driver’s side, police previously said. No one was injured.

The Farmington Fire Rescue Department used ratchet straps to secure the car to the guardrail and an extrication tool to remove couple from the automobile.