A motorcyclist died Friday morning when he hit a Jeep Wrangler at the intersection of McCrillis Corner Road and Route 133 in Wilton. Police say John Marden, 29, of Franklin, New Hampshire, died after his 2015 Yamaha FZ6R motorcycle hit a 2002 Jeep Wrangler being driven by Phillip St. Germain, 54, of Chesterville. The Jeep was traveling west on McCrillis Corner Road, crossing Route 133, and Marden’s motorcycle was traveling south on Route 133. (Donna M. Perry/Sun Journal)
WILTON — Kayte Rackliffe said she was taking care of a customer Friday at about 11:07 a.m. at her business, Snippers, on McCrillis Corner Road when she heard a noise, looked out the window and saw an accident.
Police investigated and reconstructed a fatal motorcycle accident at the intersection of McCrillis Corner Road and Route 133.
John Marden, 29, of Franklin, New Hampshire, was deceased on scene, Wilton Police Chief Heidi M. Wilcox wrote in an email.
“He had been driving a 2015 Yamaha FZ6R motorcycle south on Route 133 when he struck a 2002 Jeep Wrangler being driven by Phillip St.Germain, 54, of Chesterville.”
The Jeep had been traveling west on McCrillis Corner Rd crossing Rout 133. Both drivers had active licenses. Marden was wearing a helmet.
There were no other occupants on the motorcycle or Jeep. St. Germain did not report any injuries, Wilcox said.
Rackliffe said she grabbed her cellphone, went outside and walked to the intersection of Route 133. A motorcyclist wearing a helmet was lying still on the ground, she said. A Jeep was at the scene too.
She called 911 and the dispatcher asked if there was anybody who knew CPR. Rackliffe said she asked if anyone there did, but she was the only one who had taken a class. She said she was asked to start chest compressions. Emergency personnel had not arrived yet.
She started and handed her phone off to a man who continued to talk to the dispatcher. He then started counting for each compression Rackliffe did.
A nurse stopped, and when Rackliffe was tired, took over doing the compressions until emergency personnel arrived.
The motorcyclist did not look good, Rackliffe said.
A short while later a white sheet covered the body.
Rackliffe said the driver of the Jeep said he stopped at the stop sign.
Accidents not uncommon
There was an accident in April and a car landed in her yard, Rackliffe said. There have been multiple accidents at the intersection and they keep getting worse. With two young children she would like to see some stop ahead signs on both sides of McCrillis Road and a flashing light installed to hopefully prevent future accidents.
She had spoken to a firefighter at the scene in April about her concerns. She later received a call from Wilton Town Manager Rhonda Irish who told her that the state is working on putting some stop ahead signs on both sides of McCrillis road, that intersect with Route 133, and a solar flashing light one side.
Irish said Friday that she and other town representatives did meet with representatives of Maine Department of Transportation in the fall to try to find a solution to help prevent future accidents. The state in April planned to order a flashing solar light for one side of McCrillis road and install some stop ahead signs on both sides.
Irish emailed the DOT on Friday once she found out about the fatal accident to let representatives know, she said.
“We have the stop ahead signs and a solar panel flashing beacon that we will install on top of the stop sign,” Ted Talbot, press secretary for the DOT, said Friday.
The beacon is 7 inches in diameter and has a 5-inch by 6-inch solar panel on it, he said.
It will be installed within the next two weeks on one side of the road.
The department uses these flashing beacons around the state at high crash sites, he said.
“We hope this will call attention to the stop sign and make people aware of this intersection,” Talbot said.
People need to use caution at this intersection, he said.
“We can only do so much at the intersection because so much of it falls on driver behavior” but DOT representatives will do all they can to make the intersection as safe as possible, he said.
Emergency personnel responded to scene
Wilcox said the investigation is being led by Wilton officer Ethan Kyes. Wilton police and firefighters were assisted at the scene by NorthStar EMS ambulance personnel, fire departments from Jay, Chesterville and police from Jay and deputies from Franklin County Sheriff’s Office. Maine State Police are assisting with accident reconstruction ad forensic mapping of the scene.
Police closed roads near the crash and re-opened them at about 2 p.m.
“We are very interested in speaking with anyone who may have witnessed the crash or been in the vicinity,” Wilcox said. “If so, please call Officer Ethan Kyes or the Wilton Police (Department) at 778-6140.
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