WATERVILLE — A three-vehicle crash snarled traffic early Wednesday afternoon on Elm Street in downtown Waterville, but the drivers escaped serious injuries.

The three vehicles were damaged extensively and were towed from the intersection of Elm and Appleton streets in front of the Waterville Public Library. The crash occurred about 1:30 p.m. Three tow trucks arrived at the scene, which was cleaned up in less than half an hour.

Whitney Blanchet, right, speaks with a Waterville police officer next to her car at the intersection of Elm and Appleton streets in front of the Waterville Public Library on Wednesday. Staff photo by Michael G. Seamans

Violet Hamlin, of Sidney, sits on the sidewalk in front of a three-car collision she was involved in at the intersection of Elm and Appleton streets in front of the Waterville Public Library on Wednesday. Staff photo by Michael G. Seamans

A three-car collision backed up traffic at the intersection of Elm and Appleton streets in front of the Waterville Public Library on Wednesday. Staff photo by Michael G. Seamans

A Delta Ambulance paramedic helps a man involved in a three-car collision at the intersection of Elm and Appleton streets in front of the Waterville Public Library on Wednesday. Staff photo by Michael G. Seamans

A Delta Ambulance paramedic helps a man involved in a three-car collision at the intersection of Elm and Appleton streets in front of the Waterville Public Library on Wednesday. Staff photo by Michael G. Seamans

Violet Hamlin, 67, of Sidney, said she was headed toward Wal-Mart to return an item when she hit a pickup truck on its side.

Hamlin was driving her silver Jeep Grand Cherokee on Elm Street toward Main Street when the GMC Sierra driven by Reginald Joler, 83, of Oakland, went through a red light at the intersection, Hamlin said. She said she swerved to avoid the truck but wound up colliding with its passenger-side door.

“I tried to miss him,” Hamlin said at the scene. “It was like he came out of nowhere.”

After Hamlin hit the truck, it crashed head-on into a Red Scion hatchback driven by Whitney Blanchet, 22, of Cornville, that was stopped at a red light next to the library. Blanchet was shaken but unharmed and said she was going to a local emergency room to get checked out as a precaution.

Waterville police Officer Tim Hinton said later Tuesday afternoon that no serious injuries were reported in the accident and police are not considering criminal charges.

Peter McGuire — 861-9239

pmcguire@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @PeteL_McGuire

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