A Jackman man was taken by LifeFlight helicopter to a Lewiston hospital Saturday night after his car hit a moose on Route 201 in Johnson Mountain Township, police said.

John Coyle, 31, was driving north at around 9 p.m. when the moose landed on the hood of his vehicle causing the roof and windshield to cave in, said Cpl. Eugene Cole of the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office.

“It was dark and he probably didn’t see the moose,” said Cole, who said that Coyle had severe head trauma.

The moose was dead at the scene and was disposed of by the Maine Department of Transportation.

Coyle’s vehicle, a blue 2005 Subaru Legacy, was destroyed, Cole said.

His ex-wife and children were driving in a vehicle behind him and came up on the accident.

“I saw three moose driving up to the scene last night between The Forks and Jackman,” Cole said. “It’s hard to say how many were there that I didn’t see.”

Firefighters from Jackman and West Forks responded to the accident in addition to the sheriff’s office and Upper Kennebec Valley Ambulance Service.

Cole said Sunday that he did not have further information on Coyle’s condition.


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