Driver in Lebanon rollover charged with OUI

Rescue personnel inspect wreckage at scene of Sunday's rollover on River Road in Lebanon. (Lebanon Rescue photo)

LEBANON - A Rochester man has been charged with OUI in connection with a rollover accident Sunday night on River Road in which police estimate he was driving a pickup truck around 60 mph prior to the crash.

The 36-year-old man charged has not been arrested and his name has not been released since his bloodwork has not been returned from analysis, Maine State Police Trooper Kyle Wells said today.

Wells said the accident was one of the worst he’s ever seen as far as the destruction and debris field. He said the driver and his passenger were incredibly lucky to have survived the crash.

“There was a ton of debris,” Wells said. “As far as debris, it was one of the worst I’ve seen. Those guys are extremely lucky to be alive.”

The 36-year-old driver, and his passenger, a 20-year-old Rochester man, were both transported to Frisbie Memorial Hospital with just minor injuries after the crash, which occurred about a half-mile in from Route 202 near Knox Lane around 8:30 p.m.

Wells said the vehicle was headed toward Route 202 at a high rate of speed when it crashed, sawed off some utility poles, rolled over and landed in the opposite lane headed in the other direction.

“The roof of the truck was crushed below where the bottom of the windshield normally would be,” said a Lebanon Rescue press release.

Wells said when he arrived the scene was chaotic with debris scattered all about, gas leaking from the overturned vehicle and upset neighborhood residents milling about to see what happened.

He said it was lucky no one was outside walking or riding a bike along the roadway.

He said people in the neighborhood reported hearing the vehicle “scream by” their houses followed by a loud bang.

River Road was closed for about two hours while emergency crews worked at the scene. 

About 135 houses lost power for much of the night due to the accident. 

Wells said he hopes to have the bloodwork back by the end of the week.

In Maine, if you are driving a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content of .08 percent or more, you are guilty of OUI.