A head-on collision involving two motor vehicles sent three people to the hospital and closed a section of Rt. 1 in Edgecomb for over two and half hours Nov 29.
The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office identified the victims as 72-year-old Joseph E. Dahmen of Newcastle, 70-year-old Edmund J. Burke of Ogunquit, and 69-year-old William Murphy of East Boothbay.
Based on the preliminary investigation, LCSO reports the accident occurred around 12:35 p.m. when the northbound 1995 Subaru station wagon, operated by Dahmen, struck a guardrail in the southbound lane on Rt. 1 before striking Burke’s southbound 2009 Mercury Marquis of Burke head-on.
Murphy, a passenger in Burke’s vehicle, was airlifted from the scene to Maine Medical Center where he was listed in critical condition as of Nov. 30. Dahmen was taken to Miles Memorial Hospital in Damariscotta and later transferred to Maine Medical Center where he was listed in satisfactory condition.
Burke was taken to Midcoast Hospital in Brunswick and released.
According to the LCSO, the investigation into the exact cause of the accident will continue over the next several weeks but they do not believe alcohol or speed were a factor.
North- and southbound traffic was stopped for several hours after the crash as officials worked to reconstruct the accident.
Edgecomb, Wiscasset and Newcastle Fire Departments, Wiscasset EMS, Central Lincoln County Ambulance, Boothbay Harbor Police Dept., and the Maine Dept. of Transportation assisted LCSO at the scene. The Newcastle Fire Department secured a landing zone at the Maine Department of Transportation Lot just south of the accident scene. The Alna Fire Department assisted with the rerouting of traffic around the crash scene.
