Woman injured in Waterville tubing accident

WATERVILLE — A Unity woman sliding down a hill at Quarry Road Recreation Area was injured Saturday when the inflatable tube she was on apparently struck a bump and she was ejected.

Tami Paquet was taken by Delta Ambulance to a hospital after the accident, which occurred just after 4:30 p.m., across the road from the Harold Alfond Snowmaking Center.

Paquet’s daughter, Amy Joseph, who was also recreating with her family on the hill, said her mother was complaining of back pain after the accident.

“We were sledding and the hill is just really fast,” Joseph said.

Waterville police Sgt. Jason Longley said later that he understood Paquet was in her husband’s lap on the tube when the accident occurred. He said he did not know which hospital she was taken to.

Waterville firefighters carry a woman to an ambulance after she was injured Saturday during a snow tubing accident at Quarry Road Recreation Area in Waterville. Morning Sentinel photo by Amy Calder

“It’s my understanding that her and her husband were sliding or tubing and had traveled farther than they anticipated and hit a bump at the bottom and came off the tube,” he said.

Waterville police and firefighters, as well as Delta Ambulance personnel, responded to the scene, where Paquet was clearly in distress, softly crying out in pain.

It was 14 degrees at the time. Children were sliding down the hill, and some were cross country skiing near a warming hut.