Boy, 14, critically injured in Auburn ATV crash

Assistant District Attorney Patricia Mador, center, and Auburn and Lewiston police examine two ATVs that crashed on Danville Corner Road in Auburn just after 3 p.m. Monday. A 14-year-old boy, riding the overturned blue ATV being towed by another ATV driven by a 17-year-old boy, was taken to Maine Medical Center in Portland with head injuries and listed in critical condition. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal Buy this Photo

AUBURN — Police are investigating a crash Monday afternoon involving two ATVs that left a 14-year-old boy in critical condition.

A 14-year-old boy was critically injured Monday afternoon when he and another boy crashed their ATVs on Danville Corner Road in Auburn. Lewiston Cpl. Jeremy Somma and Assistant District Attorney Patricia Mador investigate to reconstruct the crash. Judith Meyer/Sun Journal

Auburn police Sgt. Matt Dailey said a 17-year-old boy was towing a disabled ATV — being ridden by the 14-year-old — downhill on Danville Corner Road, toward Old Danville Road, when the two crashed into a ditch on Danville Corner Road, at the intersection of Mountain View Drive.

According to a news release from police, the 14-year-old suffered head injuries. The 17-year-old sustained minor injuries.

Police did not identify either teen.

The Auburn Fire Department transported the 14-year-old to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston, where he was treated, then transferred to Maine Medical Center in Portland, where he was listed in critical condition late Monday, according to police.

Assistant District Attorney Patricia Mador, left, and police officers from Lewiston and Auburn examine two ATVs that crashed on Danville Corner Road in Auburn just after 3 p.m. Monday. A 14-year-old boy riding the blue ATV was taken to Central Maine Medical Center with serious injuries. A 17-year-old boy was towing the disabled blue ATV down a hill when they crashed into a ditch. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal Buy this Photo

The two boys had been operating the ATVs earlier when one of the machines broke down, police said. One ATV was towing the other downhill on Danville Corner Road, when the operator of the machine being towed lost control, police said. The two machines became tangled in the towline and rolled over, throwing both operators off the vehicles, according to police.

The crash was reported at 3:09 p.m. Neither boy was wearing a helmet, according to police.

The crash was still being investigated later Monday afternoon by Auburn police. Lewiston police were reconstructing the crash.

At 5:30 p.m., Lewiston Cpl. Jeremy Somma was still reconstructing the accident and was seen explaining the chain of events to Assistant District Attorney Patricia Mador.

The section of the road where the two crashed was repaved last week.