ROCKPORT — Three car crashes on Nov. 17 and 18 had the Rockport Police and Fire departments responding to multiple calls, with two accidents on the same afternoon.

The first crash occurred around 1:20 p.m. Nov. 17, in front of Down East Magazine on Commercial Street in Rockport and did not cause any injuries to the drivers.

According to Rockport Police Sgt. Travis Ford, who responded to the accident, Bob Harrelson, 77, of Camden, was driving a Chrysler Dodge Jeep on Commercial Street behind a Northeast Mobile Health Services ambulance driven by paramedic Dennis Simmons, 51, of Cushing. Both vehicles were northbound and Harrelson rear-ended the ambulance when he was unable to slow down in time when the ambulance began to turn across the southbound lane to change direction, said the police report.

Police attributed the accident to Harrelson’s vehicle following too closely and the ambulance making an improper turn.

Within an hour of the first accident, Rockport Police and Fire Departments and North East Mobile Health Services responded to a crash where a car had struck a utility pole near the intersection of Commercial Street and Pascal Ave. According to Rockport Fire Chief Jason Peasley, the utility pole had been broken in two places approximately four feet off the ground after it was struck by a vehicle traveling south on Route 1.

Peasley said that it was fortunate that the pole was an older one since a newer one would have been extremely solid and caused extensive damage to the vehicle. Following the accident, the southbound lane was closed for three hours while Central Maine Power, Fairpoint Communications, and Time Warner Cable all repaired the dangling wires.

Ford, who responded to the crash, will release more information when it becomes available.

On Nov. 18, Officer Dana Smith responded to a rollover of a vehicle operated by Samantha Rancourt, 37, of Frankfort, who was traveling southbound on Route 1 on Powerhouse Hill when she crossed the center line, over corrected, lost control of her car and rolled it over into a ditch. Rancourt was able to extricate once she removed her seatbelt and was not injured in the crash, according to the police report.

Rancourt stated that another driver was coming at the front of her vehicle and she swerved to avoid them, according to the police. Smith attributed the cause of the accident to Rancourt using her cell phone or texting when she crossed the center line, citing witness reports.

Smith arrested Rancourt for an outstanding warrant in Waldo County, operating after suspension, driving to endanger, and violating conditions of release. She was transported to the Knox County Jail.

Rockport Fire Department also responded to the crash.

Sarah Shepherd can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com.