ROCKLAND — A New York man was taken to Pen Bay Medical Center Thursday morning following a rollover crash on Old County Road in Rockland.

Rockland Police Officer Jim Jillson said that the accident, which occurred around 8:35 a.m., was caused by Patricia Duncan of Camden when she inexplicably swerved into the opposite lane of the road.

According to Duncan's daughter, Wendy Crossman, her mother was on the way to the veterinarian with her deceased husband's 14-year-old dog when the accident occurred.

"The dog was dying, I had been watching it while she was away on vacation and the dog was slowly going downhill while Mom was away, and mom was taking her to the vet this morning" said Crossman.

Duncan, 80, was driving her 2004 Dodge van southbound on Old County Road, near the Rockport town line, when she swerved across the centerline into the path of Leonard Proch, 52, of Greenwich, N.Y.

Jillson said Proch tried to pull over off to the right into the ditch as far as possible to avoid Duncan's van, but the impact of the crash, his forward momentum and an adjacent stone wall collectively sent his 2006 Mazda four-door over onto its roof.

Crossman said the dog, a miniature dachshund named Jilly, was in a carrier in her mother's van at the time of the accident.

"Mom was most likely distracted by Jilly, who died either just before or at the time of the accident," said Crossman. "She may have been tending to the dog when the accident happened."

Jilly was 3-years-old when Crossman acquired the dog for her father. She said he had been in declining health and nearly died 10 years ago, and when he recovered and returned home, he became depressed. So she decided to get him a dog to try and help cheer him up.

"I got the dog to take away his troubles and it worked. She worked wonders for my dad and after he died a couple of years ago, Jilly became very important to my mom — she always equated the dog with him," said Crossman. "She is devastated today, what with losing Jilly and the accident, and she feels like she lost the last part of my father that she had. But with some time, I'm sure she'll see that's not the case. It's just such a hard thing to lose a pet, and then this accident, she is devastated."

Crossman said she knew the dog was declining in health recently, and hoped she would hold on until her mother returned.

"She did, and it's almost like she waited for Mom to get home," said Crossman. Crossman added that she's thankful her mother and the other driver were not seriously injured, despite the enormity of the damage she saw to the vehicles when she went to the accident scene to be with her mother.

Proch's car was totaled in the crash and Duncan's van sustained significant front end damage. Duncan was not injured, while Proch was taken to the hospital in Rockport complaining of back pain. Jillson said he checked on Proch at the hospital and learned he was soon to be released, though a little worse for wear.

There are no charges pending in the accident.

Editorial Director Holly S. Edwards can be reached by email  at hollyedwards@penbaypilot.com or by calling 207-706-6655.