Detective Richard Alexander of the Damariscotta Police Dept. is recovering from a back injury at Mid Coast Hospital following a Jan. 11 accident.
According to Maj. Ken Mason of the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and Damariscotta Police Chief Steven Drake, Alexander was traveling north on Bus. Rt. 1 in Damariscotta at 1:51 p.m.
Alexander was attempting to turn left onto School Street (the location of the Damariscotta Police Dept.) when Carolyn Kelsey, 71, of Damariscotta, also traveling north, hit the rear of Alexander’s 2000 Hyundai Elantra.
Alexander immediately “jumped out of the car to help” at the scene, Drake said, but after Officer Jennifer Mitkus arrived, Alexander complained of back pain. The Central Lincoln County Ambulance Service transported Alexander to Miles Memorial Hospital.
Kelsey was uninjured, Mason said. Both operators were wearing seatbelts. Information about damage to Alexander’s vehicle and Kelsey’s 2005 Chrysler Sebring was unavailable at press time.
Details regarding Alexander’s injury or injuries are unclear. He eventually left Miles Memorial Hospital, returning home briefly before checking in at Mid Coast, Drake said.
Alexander, who resides in Topsham, was “coming in to work on a case on his day off,” Drake said.
The Damariscotta Police Dept. has adjusted officers’ schedules to cope with the absence of Alexander, a full-time officer. Officers usually work four 10-hour shifts per week, Drake said. Without Alexander, they are working a rotating schedule of four 12-hour shifts one week and three 12-hour shifts the following week.
Drake did not predict a timeline for Alexander’s return.
