A man was charged with fleeing the scene after he was found hiding in someone’s nearby basement on Peacock Road following the crash.
|Bonnie Washuk – Press Herald|
Cumberland County deputies responded to a call at 12:17 p.m. Saturday of a head-on crash at the area of 1128 Lewiston Road in New Gloucester, and that a man and woman had fled the scene. But when officers arrived, deputies discovered that only the man had fled the scene. A search with a K-9 dog ensued.
William Werner, 33, of Portland, was found hiding in someone’s nearby basement on Peacock Road, a half of a mile from the crash, according to the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office.
He was transported to Central Maine Medical Center after being discovered. He was taken into custody without incident.
Why Werner fled the scene is unknown, and neither speed nor alcohol are believed to be factors in the crash, according to the sheriff’s office.
Werner’s 1997 Ford F150 truck sustained considerable damage and was towed from the scene.
The second driver, Bo Maietta, 40, of Arcata, Ca., was driving his 2018 Ford F150 truck northbound when he was struck head on by Werner, who crossed the center line, the sheriff’s office said in a prepared statement. Maietta was evaluated at the scene and released. His truck also sustained considerable damage.
Traffic on the Lewiston Road was reduced to one lane as authorities worked to clear the scene Saturday afternoon. That prompted traffic congestion for about a half of mile in both directions.
