Blinding sun blamed on downtown Camden truck/pedestrian accident

Wed, 01/16/2019 - 3:45pm

    CAMDEN — Just after 2 p.m. Jan. 16, a woman in the crosswalk at the downtown intersection of Mechanic and Washington streets was struck by a mid-sized pickup.

    A North Mobile Health Services ambulance crew arrived at the scene, where the woman was reported to be conscious, and quickly transported her to Pen Bay Medical Center in Rockport. 

    According to Camden Fire Chief Chris Farley, Assistant Fire Chief Andrew Lowe and Firefighter Sam Crockett were outside the nearby fire station when they heard the impact and rushed over to help, arriving on the heels of another first responder, Abigail Matlack, who was inside the Green with Envy salon, heard the crash and quickly came to the aid of the woman.

    The driver of the pickup reported that his visibility was hindered by the direct sunlight in his path, Farley said, and failed to see the woman crossing from Green with Envy salon to Serendipity clothing store.

    Another driver ahead of him turned around after seeing the accident and reported the same phenomenon, Farley said, of bright sunshine affecting immediate visibility on Mechanic Street and westward up the hill.

    The intersection is now a four-way stop following decades of it being a three-way stop for safety purposes. The driver in this case had come to a complete stop, said Farley.


    Reach Editorial Director Lynda Clancy at lyndaclancy@penbaypilot.com; 207-706-6657