NORRIDGEWOCK — Two drivers were injured Monday morning after their vehicles crashed head-on about 15 minutes after another car slid off the same road.

As rescue workers drove to the scene of the first crash, around 5:40 a.m., where a car tipped on its side in the ditch on River Road, another, more severe collision was reported about a mile away.

In the second crash, Zachary Larock, 20, of Fairfield, crossed from the Skowhegan town line, where the road was wet, into Norridgewock, where the road turned to ice, Somerset County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Wilfred Dodge said.

As it hit the ice, Larock’s silver 2001 Dodge Dakota pickup truck slid into the other lane and crashed head-on into the 2006 Pontiac sports utility vehicle coming toward him, driven by Ashley Emery, 20, of New Portland.

Emery and Larock, who were wearing seat belts, each suffered a possible broken arm, in addition to many bumps and bruises, Dodge said. Ambulances took them to Redington-Fairview General Hospital in Skowhegan.

“It could have been a lot worse if they didn’t have their seatbelts on,” Dodge said.

Airbags deployed in both vehicles, which were destroyed. The road was closed for more than 30 minutes after the crash.

Dodge said he did not know the speed of Larock’s truck at the time of the crash, but it was going too fast for the road conditions. The speed limit there is 45 mph.

In the first crash, 17-year-old Anthony Billington, of Norridgewock, who was driving a 2001 Hyundai Elantra toward Skowhegan, started to slide on the ice, over-corrected and landed in the ditch on the opposite side of the road, Maine State Police Sgt. Jeff Beach said.

Billington, who was wearing a seat belt, was not injured, and his car suffered minor damage. The vehicle tipped slightly onto the driver’s side but did not roll over.

In addition to Redington ambulances, the sheriff’s office and state police, the Norridgewock Fire Department and Skowhegan Police Department responded.

Erin Rhoda — 612-2368

erhoda@centralmaine.com

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