A Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputy and a 42-year-old Searsmont woman were both injured in a two-vehicle accident on Townhouse Road in Whitefield Sept. 18. The crash totaled both vehicles, one of which was a Lincoln County Sheriff’s patrol vehicle.
According to a statement from the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, the crash occurred at 3:40 p.m. as Deputy Chad Gilbert, 41, of Whitefield, was traveling north on Townhouse Road in his fully marked 2011 Ford Crown Victoria police vehicle and Gabriela Soohey, 42, of Searsmont, was traveling south in a 2002 Chevrolet Prism sedan.
As Soohey approached a right curve, she became distracted by her cellular telephone. Soohey’s vehicle entered the northbound travel lane and into Gilbert’s path.
Gilbert attempted to avoid contact with the Soohey vehicle by steering right and braking. Soohey applied her brakes and both vehicles collided nearly head on within the northbound travel lane.
Gilbert’s vehicle subsequently left the roadway and came to rest in the northbound shoulder. Soohey’s vehicle rotated counter-clockwise, crossed the roadway and came to rest positioned perpendicular in the southbound travel lane and shoulder.
Soohey needed to be extricated from her vehicle and was transported for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. Deputy Gilbert was assisted from his vehicle by a nearby resident and later received treatment for minor abrasions to his arms.
Both drivers were wearing seatbelts and their airbags deployed at the time of the crash. Both vehicles appear to be a total loss.
The primary investigating officer is Sgt. Jason Nein who was assisted at the scene by Lt. Rand Maker. Members of the Whitefield Fire & Rescue and Delta Ambulance Service responded to the scene.