Ellsworth, ME : Osborn woman injured in motor vehicle crash on U.S. Route 1 in Ellsworth on Monday, June 22, 2015

An Osborn woman suffered serious injuries to her lower extremities Monday in a motor vehicle crash on U.S. Route 1 involving a tractor-trailer, according to the Ellsworth Police Department.

Christina Eagle, 44, was traveling north in her Mazda 626 sedan shortly before 3 p.m. when her vehicle drifted into the path of a southbound Wal-Mart tractor-trailer driven by Eric Mantyla, 68, of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, Sgt. Glenn Mosher said.

"The tractor-trailer driver took evasive action to try and avoid a collision," Mosher said.

"He went way over into the breakdown lane. As a result, the Mazda struck the left driver side front tire area of the 18 wheeler and kind of glanced off, doing extensive damage to the driver's side of the vehicle and actually breaking the axle of the 18 wheeler," the sergeant said.

The Mazda then spun around and struck another vehicle slightly before coming to rest in the middle of the roadway, Mosher said.

The road was closed for about an hour as members of the Ellsworth Fire Department worked to extricate Eagle from the wreckage and clear the roadway, he said. The initial plan was to take Eagle to the hospital by LifeFlight, but that was later deemed unnecessary, Mosher said.

Eagle was taken to Maine Coast Memorial Hospital and later transferred to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, he said. Her injuries, which included a compound fracture to one of her legs, were not considered life-threatening.

The truck driver was not injured, Mosher said.

"We were very fortunate that the truck driver, Mr. Mantyla, was alert and able to avoid a head-on collision because had he not taken action to get over to the right, she would have gone right into the front of him, and the outcome would have been a lot different," the sergeant said.

Mosher said that fatigue appeared to be a factor in the accident. He said witnesses indicated that Eagle said she was "extremely tired" after the accident.

The accident happened near Storage Plus, almost a mile west of the intersection with Route 180, Mosher said. The accident remains under investigation, he said.

Source :
Mazda Motor : Osborn woman hurt in crash that shut down Route 1A