BENTON — Maine State Police are investigating the cause of a crash Tuesday afternoon that killed an Albion woman.
Pauline Richards, 81, died when a 2002 GMC Sonoma pickup truck she was riding in left the road and overturned, according to a statement by state police Cpl. Christopher Carr.
June Hayward, 85, the truck’s driver, was going west on Albion Road in Benton around 2:20 p.m. when she lost control of the vehicle. It was not clear if Hayward suffered any injuries in the crash.
Traffic was limited Tuesday afternoon as more than a dozen emergency vehicles responded to the call. In addition to state police, the Fairfield and Albion fire departments assisted at the crash site.
State troopers were marking skid marks with orange spray paint, indicating the car may have swerved and ultimately crossed the yellow separating line before overturning and crashing into a lawn at 465 Albion Road.
Dylan Ellis and Lisa Jordan were sullen as they sat on the steps of the home where the vehicle crashed. The two said they lived there. Ellis said they were inside the house when they heard the vehicle over turn. When they came out, they saw the vehicle settled where it was, but a wheel came rolling from the crash and hit the house. The tire was still next to the steps well after the crash.
Ellis said they went to the crash to check on the occupants, where they found two people. They called 9-1-1 and checked for vital signs.
“One lady had no pulse,” Ellis said.
Jordan said a person wouldn’t have even needed to check for a pulse to see the crash killed her.
“She was gone before it even happened,” Jordan said.
Colin Ellis — 861-9253
cellis@centralmaine.com
Twitter: @colinoellis
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