DURHAM — The Androscoggin County Sheriff ’s Department was called to two fatal single-vehicle crashes Wednesday.
One crash in Durham claimed the life of a 51-year-old Freeport man, and a second crash in Greene resulted in the death of a 71-year-old man from that town.
In a third fatality, the York County Sheriff ’s Office says Tanya Hart of Limington was in Hollis when her car left the roadway and hit a truck parked on the side of the road at about 10:30 a.m.
According to a press release from the Androscoggin County Sheriff ’s Department, a 10:05 a.m. emergency call reported that a vehicle had gone off the road and struck a tree at 96 Pinkham Brook Road in Durham.
The first units to arrive found a green 2003 Kia Spectra resting against a large pine tree and the operator, 51- year-old Michael Connolly of Freeport, dead at the scene. Connolly was the only occupant of the vehicle as it traveled north on Pinkham Brook Road.
The sheriff ’s report indicates that Connolly did not make a turn around a curve near 96 Pinkham Brook Road. Witnesses stated that the brake lights never came on and the vehicle sped up just before driving off the road, narrowly missing a utility pole, and traveling across a lawn and driveway before striking the tree.
As of Wednesday afternoon, investigators suspected the crash may have been caused by a medical condition. The crash remains under investigation by sheriff ’s Deputy Jon Guay of the Androscoggin County Sheriff ’s Department.
Following that crash, the sheriff ’s department was called to a second fatality in Greene at 12:22 p.m. for a report that a vehicle had gone off the road and rolled over on Allen Pond Road. The first units on the scene found a green 2002 Pontiac Bonneville resting between a group of trees and a large rock.
The driver, 71-year-old Ralph Walker of Greene, was the sole occupant and was found dead at the scene. Walker was traveling north on Allen Pond Road when he lost control of his vehicle, left the roadway and struck a large rock, causing the vehicle to roll over and become suspended upside down between the rock and group of trees, according to police.
The Greene accident also remaines under investigation by Sgt. James Jacques.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS contributed to this report.
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