Maine State Police confirmed two traffic fatalities over the weekend during what is typically one of the year’s busiest travel times due to the Thanksgiving holiday.
In the first accident early Saturday evening in the Aroostook County town of Blaine, Nathan Smith, 64, of Blaine died after the vehicle he was driving crossed from the eastbound to westbound lane on Robinson Road. The 1998 Toyota Corolla collided with a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado operated by Spencer Garrison, 19, also of Blaine. Smith died at the scene, while Garrison was treated and released.
Both cars were heavily damaged and Robinson Road had to be shut down for about four hours. Police are still investigating what caused Smith to cross the line. Neither man was wearing a seat belt, state police said.
The second accident about 10:45 a.m. Sunday was a single-car crash on Interstate 95 just south of Medway in Penobscot County. Sandra Gifford, 49, of Hermon died instantly after the Subaru Legacy she was driving went into the median and rolled several times. Her husband, Kevin Gifford, 55, was being treated at a Millinocket hospital for non-life threatening injuries.
State police said it was not clear why Gifford lost control of the car.
There have been 138 fatalities on Maine roads so far this year, said Stephen McCausland, spokesman for the Maine Department of Public Safety. Last year going into the Thanksgiving weekend, Maine had only 115 road fatalities, but McCausland said it was “apples to oranges” to compare the two years.
“We’re well above last yea,r but it is actually a relatively safe year for Maine roads,” he said, adding that “2014 was the safest year for Maine roads since World War II.”
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