LEWISTON — Several people were hurt, at least one of them seriously, when three vehicles collided Friday afternoon on Lisbon Street.
A witness said a woman driving in a small car had been speeding outbound on Lisbon Street at about 4 p.m. when she veered into the turning lane and into the path of an oncoming pickup truck, striking it head on. The rear of the car bounced into a Humvee, which soon caught fire, witnesses said.
The collision occurred in front of Fortier’s Locksmith, not far from the corner of Cassell Street, and brought four ambulances to the scene along with fire crews. Early reports were that five people suffered injuries in the wreck.
The woman who had been driving the car was extricated from her mangled vehicle and treated by paramedics on the sidewalk before she was taken by ambulance to Central Maine Medical Center. Witnesses said the woman, who remained semiconscious throughout the ordeal, appeared to be the most seriously hurt.
Police quickly locked down a section of Lisbon Street, which was strewn with shattered glass, car parts and items that had been flung from the vehicles involved. Traffic was rerouted onto several streets leading to Pleasant Street, where traffic became snarled and slowed to a crawl.
Richard Charette said his vehicle was almost struck by the speeding car before it slammed into the pickup truck. After the collision, he stopped at the scene to see if he could help the victims.
Another man said he was pumping gas at the nearby Big Apple when he heard a “boom” from behind him. When he looked back, the badly damaged vehicles were stopped in the street and the Humvee was on fire.
Lewiston police were investigating the crash later Friday. The names of the victims were not immediately available. Police later in the day said although injuries were serious, none was considered life-threatening.
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