Seat belts saved Gardiner-area teens from serious injury in Friday accident

CHELSEA – A 17-year-old injured when a vehicle he was a passenger in went off the road Friday morning was in satisfactory condition in a Portland hospital Monday.

Three Gardiner-area teenagers were in a single-vehicle accident Friday morning.

The car, driven by Anthony Caswell, 17, of West Gardiner, went out of control, into the oncoming lane, up onto an embankment, hit a tree and rolled over at approximately 8:40 a.m. Friday on Townhouse Road, according to Maine State Police Trooper Greg Stevens.

Caswell had two passengers with him, both from the Gardiner area, Austin Sirois, 17, and Roger Sarachick, 18.

Stevens said Sirois was taken to the hospital by ambulance, and he believed the other two accident victims were also both taken to the hospital, either by ambulance or their parents, to be checked out, Stevens said he did not know what type of injury Sirois suffered, or if the other two were injured.

Sirois was taken to Maine Medical Center in Portland, where, hospital officials said Monday, he was in satisfactory condition.

Stevens said neither alcohol nor speed appeared to be factors in the accident. He said all three were wearing their seat belts.

“They had their seat belts on, that’s the only reason they’re still alive, after something like that,” Stevens said.

No charges have been filed, Stevens said.