Blinding sun causes Washburn rollover

5 years ago

WASHBURN, Maine — Rescue workers extricated a woman from her vehicle Wednesday morning after glare from the sun caused her to drive the side of her car into a hard snowbank, according to police.

Police shut down Main Street in Washburn for about an hour Wednesday morning as first responders used the jaws of life to remove the woman from her Ford Focus, which rolled over onto its side after it hit the snowbank, said Ashland police Sgt. Jared Carney, who also works for the town of Washburn.

The single-vehicle accident happened near the intersection with Clark Street, near the entrance to Washburn High School, Carney said.

The driver, who has not been identified because family has not been notified, was taken by Caribou Ambulance to Cary Medical Center with injuries that are not considered life threatening, Carney said.

The cause of the rollover “appeared to be sun glare and a rock hard snowbank,” Carney said.

With limited visibility, the driver drifted over and the vehicle’s passenger-side hit the snowbank, causing the car to flip over onto its side, Carney said.