WATERVILLE — Police have issued a summons to a Colby College student after he allegedly left the scene of a single-car accident Saturday, causing emergency responders to conduct a fruitless search of a nearby wooded area for more than an hour.

Colby student John Woodside, 20, of Leverett, Mass., was issued a summons about 4:30 p.m. Saturday on charges of failing to give notice of an accident by the quickest means possible, Waterville police reported.

Additional Images

Captain Drew Corey of the Waterville fire department searches the woods for the occupants of a vehicle that crashed Rice Ripps Road near Colby College in Waterville early on Saturday morning Staff photo by Michael G. Seamans

If convicted, he could face up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000.

Sgt. Brian Gardiner said Woodside was the driver of a sport-utility vehicle that crashed early Saturday morning on Rice Rips Road near Colby College.

When emergency workers arrived on the scene, they found the vehicle empty and reported that there was blood on the vehicle.

Gardiner said neither Woodside nor his passenger, 20-year-old Colby student Darpan Roychowdhury, of India, was injured seriously in the accident.

“I think one of them cut their hand on some glass after the accident,” he said, adding that Roychowdhury complained of a headache following the crash.

Gardiner said Woodside told police he lost control of the vehicle as they took a sharp corner, sending it skidding into the woods.

Gardiner said police had no hard leads on why the two men left the scene of the accident before emergency responders arrived.

Roychowdhury was not charged in the incident.

Evan Belanger — 861-9239

ebelanger@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @ebelanger

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