CAMDEN — A Camden man was seriously injured just before 6 a.m., July 7, on John Street in Camden when the sedan he was driving hit a ditch between the intersection of Pearl Street and Route 1, travelled across a lawn, hit a tree, spun across the road, and stopped just short of hitting another vehicle parked there.

Camden Police Officer Sam Butler reported that William Tassi, of Camden, had been driving on John Street toward Route 1 in a 2013 VW Jetta.

“At the intersection of Pearl Street, his vehicle went off the road on the opposite side of the roadway and struck a large tree and then came to rest in the roadway,” Camden Sgt. Dan Brown said. “Paramedics from Northeast Ambulance treated Tassi as Camden Fire had to extricated him from the vehicle.”

Camden Fire Chief Chris Farley, firefighters Todd Anderson, Sam Crockett, Jack Orestis, Tom Quantrell and Harold Drinkwater, as well as Rockport Fire Chief Jason Peasley, responded with extrication equipment, working the car doors open with hydraulic spreaders.

Two North East Mobile Health Service ambulance crews were on scene, and transported Tassi to Pen Bay Medical Center, where he was stabilized and then flown via Life Flight to Central Maine Medical Center (trauma center) in Lewiston.

The crash was reported after a nearby resident heard the force of the impact.

Camden police continue to investigate the crash.

“The accident remains under investigation; however, speed is being considered a factor,” Sgt. Brown said.