By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
CARIBOU — A local man is dead and another seriously injured following an early morning crash Monday.
“On Aug. 13 at approximately 4:01 a.m., Caribou police officers responded to a single motor vehicle fatal accident on the River Road in Caribou,” said Chief Michael Gahagan, Caribou Police Department.
Gahagan said it appeared that a four-door 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit operated by Wayne Carter, 36, of Caribou, was heading south on the River Road when the crash occurred.
“The car was traveling at a high rate of speed when it left the roadway, rolling over. The operator, Mr. Carter, and 21-year-old passenger Patrick Strainge, of Stockholm, were ejected from the vehicle. Both subjects were not wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident,” he said.
A third passenger, identified as 19-year-old Shawn Holmquist of Caribou, was wearing his seatbelt at the time of the accident and suffered only minor injuries.
“Wayne Carter died at the scene. Patrick Strainge was transported by Caribou Fire and Ambulance to Cary Medical Center and was then flown to Eastern Maine Medical Center with extensive injuries. Mr. Holmquist was treated at the scene and released,” said Gahagan.
The accident remains under investigation but Gahagan said it appears that speed and not wearing seatbelts were major factors in this fatality.
Caribou Police Officers Keith Ouellette and Jay Trainer were assisted by Officer Jason Matheson and the Aroostook County Sheriff’s Department with the investigation.
