FARMINGTON — A pair of nearly identical accidents 24 hours apart on U.S. Route 2 resulted in two civil violations for failure to control a motor vehicle and also sent two people to the hospital with complaints of pain, police said.

Thursday at 9:02 a.m., a white 2009 Chevy Impala rammed the back corner of a blue 2004 Jeep Wrangler waiting to turn into the Aubuchon Hardware parking lot, causing enough damage that both vehicles had to be towed. The Jeep driver was taken the hospital after he said he hit his head on the steering wheel.

Wednesday at 9:10 a.m., a green 2003 Dodge Caravan slammed straight into the back of a gray 1998 Toyota Camry waiting to turn at an Irving Oil gas station, leaving less property damage but sending a driver to the hospital in a neck brace.

Farmington Patrol Officer Justin Blais said that even after working for the department for four years, seeing two similar crashes only a day apart is “kind of a freak thing.”

Both crashes, less than a mile apart, appear to have been caused by a lack of attention, he said.

On Thursday, David Foley, 57, of Salem Township, was stopped on Wilton Road in his Jeep waiting to turn left. Jamie Phelps, 40, of Phillips, reportedly came at the car at 40 mph. According to Blais, Phelps didn’t realize the car in front of him was stopped until it was too late, and he made an attempt to avoid the car by turning.

In doing so, the front driver’s side of Phelps’ car hit the back passenger side of Foley’s car and spun the Jeep. The damage to both areas was “very, very heavy,” Blais said, and both cars were towed.

Foley went to Franklin Memorial Hospital after he said he thought he had hit his head on the steering wheel. Blais spoke with him at 10 a.m. and he said he felt OK but had a headache.

Phelps was issued a citation for failure to control a motor vehicle, which consists of a fine of $119.

On Wednesday, Hollieann Harrison, 44, of Wilton, was waiting to turn left off Wilton Road into an Irving gas station. Kimberly McDowell, 32, of Jay, allegedly approached the car also around 40 mph, apparently not realizing what was in front of her until she didn’t have time to brake. McDowell’s Caravan hit the Camry, which escaped with the least damage, straight on. The radiator fluid in McDowell’s car leaked and the radiator had to be fixed, Blais said.

Harrison was taken to Franklin Memorial Hospital in a neck brace and complained only of neck pain. McDowell was issued the same citation as Phelps.

Blais said both Phelps and McDowell didn’t have much explanation for why they hit the cars in front of them, other than saying they didn’t realize they should stop until it was too late to do so.

Madeline St. Amour — 861-9239

mstamour@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @madelinestamour

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