TURNER — A Livermore man was killed Friday afternoon in a collision involving two motorcycles and a car on Route 4 near the Paris Farmers Union.

Police said 32-year-old Matthew Houle was dead at the scene.

Investigators said a car driven by 67-year-old Diane Boutin of Turner crossed the centerline as she was driving south. The car veered into the path of Houle’s motorcycle and a second bike driven by 31-year-old Ashley Hinkley of Livermore.

Hinkley was being treated Friday night at Central Maine Medical Center for multiple injuries, police said.

It was not clear whether Boutin was injured in the crash. Police were trying to determine what caused her car to drift into oncoming traffic.

The collision occurred about 4:30 p.m. at the intersection with Upper Street. Witnesses said at least one of the vehicles burst into flames after the collision.

At the scene, Boutin’s four-door car with a mangled front end sat near the end of Upper Street.

One motorcycle was down in the middle of the highway, covered with foam used to douse the flames.

The collision forced police to shut down a stretch of Route 4, causing traffic snarls in both Turner and Auburn. Police and fire crews detoured drivers onto several side streets, including Wood and Fern streets and Talbot Road.

Maine State Police remained at the scene hours after the wreck. It was expected that a crash reconstruction would take place as the investigation got underway.

The collision marked the 11th fatal motorcycle crash this year in Maine compared to seven on this date last year, according to Maine Public Safety records. Earlier in the week, a motorcyclist was killed in a crash in Casco.

Last year, there were 22 motorcycle deaths.

 

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