ROCKPORT — An afternoon two-vehicle crash on Route 17 near the head of Chickawaukie Pond in Rockport snarled traffic for a few minutes while the Rockport Fire Department arrived to help clean up debris. While that was under way, a driver heading east on the highway slowed down an SUV on the approach to the crash scene and was subsequently rear-ended by another vehicle, a sedan.

That crash occurred near the intersection of Old Rockland Road.

The two crashes, which occurred just before 2 p.m., May 9, resulted in Route 17 traffic relegated to one-lane as the messes were cleaned up.

According to Rockport police, the first crash happened as a small Nissan SUV, operated by Donna Douglas, of Winthrop, was traveling east on Route 17 and attempted to make a left-hand turn into a driveway. That’s when she was struck from behind by a Pontiac sedan, operated by Richard Sheen, of Warren.

There were no injuries.

The second crash occurred when another small SUV, this time a Mazda, was hit from behind by a Pontiac sedan, operated by Kyle St. Peter, of Presque Isle. Driver Diane Ingalls-Blake, of Friendship, was in a line of traffic slowing her Mazda before the first crash scene when St. Peter, driving the Pontiac, rear-ended her car.  

Ingalls-Blake suffered neck pain and was transported by North East Mobile Health Services to Pen Bay Medical Center in Rockport.

Rockport Police Officer Craig Cooley attributed by crashes to driver inattention.

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