Slushy roads blamed for crashes that kill 2

TOPSHAM – Highway accidents on icy or slushy roads in Topsham and Freeport claimed one life apiece.

Doris Curtis, 76, of Bowdoinham was killed at about 4:30 p.m. Monday in a crash on Middlesex Road in Topsham in which four vehicles were involved.

Curtis was headed north when she apparently saw a Chevrolet Blazer roll over ahead of her because of icy conditions, police said. After her car collided with a southbound car driven by Betty Bergeron, a northbound pickup truck struck Curtis’ car, pushing it into a ditch.

Curtis, the wife of former Bowdoinham Town Manager Arthur “Bud” Curtis, was dead at the scene.Bergeron, of Topsham, was taken to Maine Medical Center for treatment of a broken ankle and wrist.

Earlier Monday, Marilyn Ray, 61, of Damariscotta was killed when her car slid across U.S. Route 1 on Monday and collided with a sport utility vehicle before crashing into a telephone pole.

Ray was pronounced dead at the scene at about 12:30 p.m., authorities said. No one else was in her car, and the four people in the SUV were not seriously injured.

The victim was headed south when she lost control of her Volkswagen Golf in slushy conditions, said Freeport police Officer Paul Powers.

The other vehicle was driven by Steven Forrest, who is visiting from Florida. His wife and two young children were in the car during the accident.