WOOLWICH — Three people went to the hospital after a head-on crash on Route 1 near Dairy Queen just before 7 p.m. Saturday.

As a result of the crash, the Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office charged Carolyn Mitchell, 73, of Portland with operating after the influence.

Chief Deputy Brett Strout said Mitchell was driving a 2017 Volkswagen south on Route 1.

“According to witnesses, the Volkswagen driven by Mitchell swerved into the northbound lane of travel,” he said.

She allegedly hit a northbound vehicle head-on, spun around and hit a second northbound vehicle, Strout said.

The other vehicles were driven by Nicholas Clark, 19, of Wiscasset and Jamie Haven, 19, of South Berwick.

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Mitchell and a passenger in Haven’s vehicle, 19-year-old Evan Joyce of Dover, New Hampshire, were taken to Mid Coast Hospital in Brunswick where they were treated and released.

Haven was taken to Maine Medical Center in Portland and was treated and released.

Woolwich selectmen asked the Maine Department of Transportation to conduct a safety audit of Route 1 near the Taste of Maine Restaurant after a fatal crash there in July, a mile from the Dairy Queen where Saturday’s crash happened. William Young, 55, of Topsham allegedly caused a head-on crash that claimed the life of 58-year-old Barry Wyman of Woolwich.

Young was arrested last month on charges of manslaughter, reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon, driving to endanger and criminal speed after he was indicted by a Sagadahoc County Grand Jury.

According to the Department of Transportation, as of July there had been 94 crashes over the past 5 years within a 2-mile stretch of Route 1 north of the Sagadahoc Bridge. Two of those crashes were fatal, killing three people and injuring three more. Of those 94 crashes, 65 didn’t involve injuries.

“It’s not a high crash area by our standards,” said Paul Merrill, spokesman for the Maine Department of Transportation, in July.

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High crash locations are single intersections or stretches of road where there have been at least eight crashes over a three year period, according to DOT. Only the Route 1 and Nequasset Road intersection meets that threshold.

Tuesday, Merrill said there’s nothing the DOT could do to stop someone from drinking and driving.

However, he said the DOT is aware of the number of crashes that have happened along the stretch of Route 1 and in the area of the 86-year-old bridge by the Taste of Maine Restaurant the department plans to replace or rehabilitate.

“We’re aware that there have been crashes in that area and it’s something we continue to look at as we look to future plans for that bridge and the roads leading up to it on either side,” he said.

The bridge carries an average of 19,000 vehicles per day.

Woolwich residents told the state at a meeting last month that they want safety for drivers and cyclists at the forefront of the plans for the new bridge.

 

 


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