FAIRFIELD — An accident on the Trek Across Maine route in Fairfield left a woman with serious injuries after she drove into the path of an oncoming vehicle about 7:45 a.m. Saturday, according to Sgt. Matt Bard, of the Fairfield Police Department.

Emergency responders closed the road for hours, detouring trek bicyclists and raising fears that another cyclist might have been injured.

Lauren Swain, 19, of Skowhegan, was transported by Lifeflight to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor with what responders at first considered to be life-threatening injuries. Bard described her as being in stable condition later in the day.

Swain was injured after she drove her 2000 Dodge Stratus from Middle Road onto Route 139, also called Norridgewock Road, which put her in the path of a 2010 Toyota Forerunner driven by Tiffany Glidden, 28, of Fairfield.

Glidden was taken to Inland Hospital in Waterville, treated for minor injuries and released. Her 11-year-old daughter and an 8-year-old friend were in her vehicle, and they were uninjured.

Bard said neither alcohol nor speed was considered to be a factor in the accident, and that he didn’t anticipate criminal charges being filed.

Police were on the scene for about three hours, much of which was spent reconstructing the accident, which Bard said is standard procedure when it is thought that someone might have suffered life-threatening injuries.

The vehicles were deemed total losses, according to Bard.

Bard said police reassured race organizers that no bicycles were involved, and also took extra care to clear the road of broken glass that could have damaged bicycle tires.

Matt Hongoltz-Hetling — 861-9287
mhhetling@centralmaine.com

 

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