FAIRFIELD — A flat tire sent a Cornville man’s vehicle over the center line on Skowhegan Road and into a collision with a tractor-trailer Friday morning, according to police, who said the driver was taken to the hospital.

John Hamlin, 64, was taken by Delta Ambulance to Thayer Center for Health in Waterville from the crash Friday, according to Captain Paul St. Amand of the Fairfield Police Department. St. Amand said he did not know the extent of Hamlin’s injuries but that he did not believe them to be life threatening.

A tractor-trailer is seen parked on the side of Skowhegan Road Friday morning after it was struck by another vehicle traveling to Fairfield. The driver of the tractor-trailer, Louis Besquenne, who was driving for Holliston Logistics out of Slatersville, Rhode Island, said that he saw the LeSabre crossing the center line but did not want to veer the truck off the road. Staff photo by Emily Higginbotham

Shattered glass and debris from a 2002 Buick LeSabre are scattered on the side of Skowhegan Road as vehicles pass by the scene of a two-vehicle collision Friday morning in Fairfield. The LeSabre's owner, John Hamlin, 64, of Cornville, was driving toward Fairfield when police say he got a flat tire, causing him to cross the center line and strike the tractor-trailer. Staff photo by Emily Higginbotham

The wheels of a tractor-trailer on the side of Skowhegan Road in Fairfield appear damaged Friday morning. The tractor-trailer was involved in a collision with a 2002 Buick LeSabre that sent one person to the hospital with injuries that police did not believe were life threatening. Staff photo by Emily Higginbotham

Hamlin was traveling on Skowhegan Road toward Fairfield in a 2002 silver two-door Buick LeSabre at around 8:29 a.m. when he likely got a flat tire, St. Amand said. Hamlin then crossed the center line and struck the rear tires of a tractor-trailer traveling toward Skowhegan. The driver’s side front and rear fenders were ripped from the LeSabre during the collision. The rims of the tractor-trailer’s driver-side rear tires were also damaged.

The driver of the tractor-trailer, Louis Besquenne, who was driving for Holliston Logistics out of Slatersville, Rhode Island, said that he saw the LeSabre crossing the center line and didn’t immediately know what to do.

“Am I going to drive this 80-ton truck into the woods?” Besquenne said he asked himself in the moment leading to the collision. Besquenne, 38, said he decided not to veer off the road and stay in the lane.

Besquenne said a motorcycle was traveling behind him, and he was thankful the rider didn’t get hit with debris from the LeSabre.

Hamlin was traveling with his dog, which St. Amand thought was a black Labrador mix. The dog did not appear to be injured, St. Amand said, but Hamlin’s wife picked it up and took it to a veterinarian to make sure.

There were no other passengers in the truck.

In addition to Fairfield Police, St. Amand said Maine State Police and Fairfield Fire and Rescue both responded to the accident.

Emily Higginbotham — 861-9239

ehigginbotham@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @EmilyHigg

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