Maine Injury Lawyer Blog

A spokeswoman for Eastern Maine Medical Center said James Westerdahl, 75, of Littleton died Friday afternoon.

He was southbound in his 1999 GMC truck about 3:15 p.m. Wednesday when reportedly a tire blew out on the extended cab vehicle.

Westerdahl lost control and swerved into the northbound lane, directly into the path of an oncoming tractor-trailer truck driven by James Sprague, 57, of Nobleboro.

Sprague swerved the 2000 Freightliner when he saw Westerdahl's vehicle, but the last two tires of the unloaded trailer rolled over Westerdahl's vehicle.

Melissa Radatv, 25, of Houlton was following Sprague's truck. She tried to avoid the crash, but she skidded off the road after pieces of debris struck her 2001 Dodge truck.

Radatv was wearing a seat belt and suffered minor injuries. Sprague also was wearing a seat belt and suffered minor injuries.

The crash happened in Portland around 2:30 a.m. Sunday. Police say a Ford Mustang driven by 21-year-old Yannick Mulongo of Portland crossed the center line on a street, hitting a Chevy Impala and several utility poles.

Police say the 18-year-old killed was a passenger in the car driven by Mulongo. His name is not being released until next of kin can be notified.

The Impala was driven by 31-year-old Fartun Aden of Portland.

Police believe speed and alcohol contributed to the cause of the accident.

Coburn Roberts, 26, was arrested and charged with leaving the scene of a personal injury accident, operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicants and operating after suspension. He is expected to make his initial court appearance on Oct. 26 in 13th District Court in Dover-Foxcroft.

Roberts was at the wheel of a Chevrolet pickup truck that left the road in Drew Valley in Elliotsville at about 8:14 p.m. Saturday, according to Investigator Jamie Kane of the Piscataquis County Sheriff's Department. Elliotsville is between Monson and Willimantic. He said the driver lost control of the vehicle and it went down an embankment.

Kane said Roberts left the vehicle despite the fact his three passengers were injured. He said the three passengers -- Steven Roberts, 37, of Guilford; Kirk Thornley, 24, of Monson; and Konrad Thornley, 27, of Bradley -- were taken by ambulance to Mayo Regional Hospital in Dover-Foxcroft and Kirk Thornley was later taken to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor.

If anyone has any information about this accident, please contact Peter Thompson & Associates, 1-800-804-2004.

James Westerdahl, 75, of Littleton, was in serious condition at Eastern Maine Medical Center today after a three vehicle crash on North Street early on Wednesday evening. According to the Bangor Daily News, Westerdahl was driving southbound in his GMC truck, lost control of the truck and swerved into the northbound lane, directly into the path of an oncoming tractor trailer.

The tractor trailer was driven by James Sprague, 57, of Nobleboro. Sprague attempted to swerve when he saw Westerdahl coming toward him, but he couldn't get out of the way in time and the two vehicles collided.

Meanwhile, Melissa Radatv, 25, who was following Sprague's truck, saw what was happening and attempted to avoid the crash. But pieces of debris struck her truck and she careened off the road.

A fatal crash occurred on Route 1 around 11:00 pm on Thursday. Authorities say a pickup truck, driven by 32 year old Chadwick Sage crossed the center line. The pickup crashed head on with a commercial truck driven by Richard Turner of Thomaston.

Deputies say the delivery truck traveled about 150-200 feet before rolling over and bursting into flames. Turner was able to get out of the truck and was taken to Waldo County General Hospital for what authorities say were non-life threatening injuries. Sage was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police authorities are investigating this accident.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009: A two-car, head-on collision occurred on Route 1 in Freeport near the Exit 24 ramp that provides access to Interstate 295. Police said the cars were traveling in opposite directions at the time of the accident, which took place around 3:45 p.m.

Police said one of the drivers was treated at the scene and released, but the second driver had to be transported by ambulance to Maine Medical Center in Portland with injuries that are not considered life threatening.

The cause of the accident has not yet been released. Anyone with information about this accident should contact Attorney Peter Thompson at 1-800-804-2004.

Christopher Breingan of Norridgewock was seriously injured Wednesday in an early morning collision with a tractor-trailer, the Morning Sentinel reported on September 10th. Mr. Breingan, 25, suffered head and hip injuries after being pinned inside his 1987 Chevrolet pickup truck.

The accident happened at around 3:30 a.m. at the intersection of Main Street, Perkins Street and Bridge Street, on U.S. Route 2. A Kenworth tractor-trailer owned by Tremblay & Levesque Inc., driven by William Spencer, 67, of Howland, slammed into Mr. Breingan's pickup truck on the driver's side as the truck was proceeding through the intersection toward Perkins Street. Breingan was trapped inside the truck, and was rescued by members of the Norridgewock Fire Department using hydraulic cutting tools.

The pickup truck was totaled and tractor-trailer had approximately $10,000 in damage, according to police. Breingan was taken by helicopter to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston. There is still no word on his condition.

The cause of the accident is still under investigation and it is as yet unclear who is at fault. As Portland and Bangor personal injury attorneys, we know that several factors can contribute to accidents like this one, including alcohol, road conditions and other vehicles. Our firm has investigated similar incidents in the past and employs expert reconstructionists to determine the cause of accident and who ultimately was at fault.

Andrew St. Laurent was driving with Randall Black when Black's truck plunged off a one-lane bridge in Monmouth and into an Annabessacook Lake tributary, the Kennebec Journal reported on September 2nd.

The crash occurred around 3:30 p.m. when Black's Pat Jackson Inc. septic truck hit a flatbed truck being driven by 74 year-old Perry Malcolm. Black says he was unable to stop, and drove his truck to the right, through the guard rail and off the bridge to avoid a head-on collision. St. Laurent, whose son will marry Black's daughter in a few weeks, reached across the top of the cab to hold Black's head above water until rescuers could free both men.

St. Laurent was checked at the scene, but Black was rushed by ambulance to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston. He suffered no broken bones, but his kidneys may have been damaged when he was crushed between the truck and guard rail. He is scheduled for medical tests to see how badly he was hurt.

So far it is unclear who is at fault. Malcolm, who was driving the flatbed for Sandelin Precast Products and Foundations, claims he slowed before going on the bridge and claims that Black was speeding. But Black disputes this account, insisting he was driving well under the limit and it was Malcolm who was racing down the one lane bridge.

Although there were no other eyewitnesses, there are still several ways to determine who's at fault for this accident. As Portland and Bangor personal injury attorneys, Peter Thompson and Associates have handled scores of cases where the cause of the accident is initially unclear. We employ expert accident reconstructionists who study physical evidence at the scene, and we analyze witness statements, looking for inconsistencies, to determine the true cause of the accident. If Malcolm was indeed speeding, he or the company he works for could have to compensate Black for his medical bills, lost income, any permanent impairment as well as his pain and suffering.

One person is dead in Franklin County after a serious accident involving a tractor-trailer, a sedan and a pickup truck.

It happened on U.S. Route 2 Thursday afternoon. Route 2 is shut down from the Route 17 intersection in Dixfield to Morrison Hill Road in Carthage.

Investigators say a person in the sedan was dead at the scene. Four people in the pickup truck were taken to the hospital with serious injuries. The driver of the tractor-trailer was not injured.

Sheriff's deputies and rescue personnel were credited with saving the life of a young girl after they lifted her mother's wrecked van from atop her after a two-vehicle crash Sunday night.

Hannah Clifford, 9, of Brooks was taken to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor with serious injuries after the van she was riding in with her mother and three siblings was hit broadside by a pickup truck that apparently ran a stop sign.

According to news reports, the accident occurred at 7:58 p.m. at the intersection of Route 139 and Bog Road. A pickup truck driven by John Pellitier, 21, of Unity was reported to have ran the Bog Road stop sign and struck the passenger side of a van driven by Andrea Clifford, 40, of Brooks.

The impact sent the van spinning into the woods. Hannah Clifford was ejected and the van rolled on top of her. Emergency personnel used brute strength to lift the van, enabling Clifford's mother to pull her to safety.

Andrea Clifford and her daughter Morgan, 13, both suffered lacerations in the crash and were taken by ambulance to Waldo County General Hospital in Belfast.

Pellitier's truck also rolled over and came to a stop across Route 139 on Brown Road. Pellitier, who also was ejected from his vehicle, suffered a deep cut on his back and was taken to WCGH for treatment.

His passenger Michael Brillard, 24, Thorndike also was taken to the Belfast hospital complaining of neck and back pain.

The accident is under investigation by law enforcement and the law firm of Peter Thompson & Associates.
We request that anyone with additional information about this crash contact Attorney Peter Thompson at 1-800-804-2004.

Two people were transported to the hospital Wednesday morning after a four-car crash on Route 302.

According to news reports, the driver of a Subaru Legacy was in the eastbound lane, preparing to turn left across traffic to visit a local business when the car was hit from behind by a Chrysler PT Cruiser at 7 a.m., according to the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office.

The collision drove the Subaru into oncoming traffic, where it collided with a Dodge pickup that was then hit by a Nissan Pathfinder that was also westbound.

We request that anyone with additional information about this collision contact Peter Thompson & Associates' Portland office, 1-800-804-2004.