First responders stand at the scene of a head-on collision in Unity Township Thursday. Colleen Sullivan, 72, of Troy later died of injuries suffered in the crash. Photo courtesy of the Kennebec County Sheriff’s Office
UNITY TOWNSHIP — A Troy woman was killed after the car she was driving collided head-on with a truck hauling a front-end loader Thursday.
Colleen Sullivan, 72, was extricated from her car with serious injuries and taken by ambulance to Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, where she died of injuries suffered in the crash, according to Lt J. Chris Read, of the Kennebec County Sheriff’s Office.
The sheriff’s office said in a news release that Sullivan’s 2014 Honda Accord crossed the centerline of Waterville Road into the path of a 2004 International flatbed wrecker hauling a front-end loader, driven by Brad Rollerson, 51, of Belfast.
The vehicles collided head-on in the crash, which was reported at 9:47 a.m. Thursday.
After EMS workers and firefighters removed Sullivan from her vehicle, a LifeFlight helicopter was requested to take her to the hospital but was unable to respond, according to Read. He did not have information on why the helicopter was unable to respond. Sullivan was instead taken to the Bangor hospital by ambulance. She died at approximately 3:04 p.m. Thursday.
Rollerson was taken to MaineGeneral’s Thayer Center for Health in Waterville for a blood sample to be taken, which Read said is standard procedure for such crashes. He said it is not believed that either alcohol or speed were factors in the crash.
A Maine State Police commercial vehicle officer charged Rollerson with having an insecure load and being overweight for the size of the truck. However Read said Friday the deputy who investigated the accident determined neither of those infractions were related to the cause of the crash. Both vehicles were secured following the crash for further investigation.
Waterville Road, also known as state Route 139, was closed for a few hours Thursday as officials reconstructed the crash.
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