AUGUSTA — Drivers across Maine slid and skidded their way around the state’s roads Wednesday as a strong storm dumped nearly a foot of snow across the region.
More than 9 inches of snow had fallen in Augusta by noon as the storm started to wind down. Richmond received 10 inches by noon, according to unofficial numbers provided the National Weather Service in Gray.
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The snow made driving difficult and caused dozens of accidents around the region, none of which police believed to be serious.
Augusta Police Lt. Christopher Massey said large storms tend reduce the number of drivers on the road and cause more caution in those who do venture out, making the crashes that occur more of the fender-bender variety rather than causing serious injury.
“The bigger the storm, the better we fare,” Massey said Wednesday afternoon. “We’ve had seven or eight accidents, but nothing severe.”
Dozens of cars slid off Interstate 95 Wednesday morning, but there were no major accidents, said Maine State Police spokesman Steve McCausland. He said there were no particular hot spots along the highway; cars slid off the road “everywhere south of Bangor,” he said.
Traffic was also slowed significantly by tractor-trailer trucks having difficulty getting traction, said McCausland.
In Monmouth, a logging truck skidded off the road; and in Winthrop, a tanker truck slid into a breakdown area off the side of the road. No major damages were reported in either case.
Gail Rice, a spokesman for Central Maine Power Co., said many of the state’s power outages during the storm were caused by car accidents.
Power was disrupted Wednesday morning in Richmond when a car hit a pole, and Mount Vernon and Vienna residents lost power when a car hit a snapped a pole on Tower Road.
In Winthrop, a woman was unhurt but briefly trapped in her car by what she believed to be live wires when she hit a pole on Route 41.
Massey said his department was turning its attention to Black Friday, with shoppers expected to begin lining up outside the city’s stores tonight.
Massey urged drivers and pedestrians to use caution in parking lots and sidewalks, which could still be covered by slush and dotted by snowbanks.
“We see a lot of motor vehicle accidents on Black Friday,” Massey said.
“People need to be careful.”
Portland Press Herald writer Leslie Bridgers contributed to this report.
Craig Crosby — 621-5642
ccrosby@centralmaine.com
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