DRESDEN — A woman died following a two-vehicle crash Friday morning on Route 27 in Dresden, officials said.
The crash near the Wiscasset line was reported first to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, whose deputies initially went to the area about 9:22 a.m. after a report of a head-on crash.
Rand D. Maker, chief deputy of the sheriff’s office, said in a news release Friday that it appears a 1995 Toyota Camry was driving north on Route 27 when a southbound 2010 Chevrolet Malibu crossed into the northbound travel lane and struck the Camry.
First responders arrived and found that a woman driving the Camry had been killed. A male passenger in the Camry and the Malibu’s driver were taken to MaineGeneral Medical Center in Augusta by Gardiner Rescue with what are believed to be serious injuries.
According to emergency radio transmissions, a LifeFlight helicopter was requested but then canceled.
Police did not identify immediately the woman who died, nor the two others who were injured, pending notification of relatives.
Authorities said the Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office is reconstructing the crash and the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office is assisting. Police also said they got a blood sample from the driver of the Malibu, as is required in all fatal crash investigations.
“The investigation has not determined why the Chevrolet Malibu entered the wrong lane or if speed, alcohol, or drugs were a factor in the crash,” Maker said in the release. “It does appear that both drivers were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash. Investigators have not determined if the passenger in the Toyota Camry was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.”
The crash shut down traffic both ways on Route 27 for more than three hours, and the scene was cleared for traffic to resume moving just before 1 p.m.
Lincoln County deputies were assisted at the scene by the Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office, the Wiscasset Police Department, the Wiscasset District Attorney’s Office, the Dresden and Wiscasset fire departments, the Wiscasset Ambulance Service, and Gardiner Rescue.
Sheriff’s office deputies still are investigating.
The stretch of Route 27 where the crash occurred is straight and with small hills, with guardrails on either side of the road. The speed limit, which varies between Wiscasset and Randolph, is 55 mph in that location.
Victor and Gail Blomquist have lived in their home just south of the accident scene for nearly four decades. On Friday morning, the Blomquists were getting ready to head out to help a friend wash windows when they heard ambulances and police cars racing past.
They went up the hill and found the road closed off. They could see two vehicles pushed against the guardrail on the northbound side of the road — one red, one a darker color.
Victor Blomquist, 83, has been a paramedic and had volunteered for many years on the Dresden Fire Department, where he often directed traffic. Blomquist said he took up a position south of the crash to stop the traffic heading north and give directions around the site of the crash to side roads.
“It’s hard to understand why two cars came together,” he said. “I saw them take the cars away and they looked as though they had hit head-on. I was told there was a fatality. That’s a shame.”
Staff Writer Charlie Eichacker contributed reporting to this story.
Charles Eichacker — 621-5642
Twitter: @ceichacker
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