One hurt in crash that fells lamppost

An out-of-control car drove onto a Main Street sidewalk Saturday night in Bangor before striking a building and continuing on, knocking down a light post and hitting a bike rack, according to police.

One of the six people inside the 1990 Buick Century reported slight injuries, although the car was a total loss, according to the police report.

Driver Christina D. Demmons, 18, of Hermon was summoned after police investigated the accident. Officer George Spencer also reported finding beer inside the car.

Demmons was heading downtown near Water Street about 10:50 p.m. when her steering wheel locked up, she told police. The car shot off across the road and onto the sidewalk, hitting the building at 105 Main St., listed as American Express Financial Advisors. The car continued forward 80 to 100 feet and knocked over a light post, then a bike rack, before coming to rest on the sidewalk by the intersection of Middle and Main streets.

A computer check revealed that Demmons’ license had been suspended for failure to pay a fine for a speeding ticket. Spencer charged her with operating a motor vehicle after license suspension and with illegal transportation of liquor by a minor.

A car stalled in a travel lane on Union Street in Bangor early Sunday had copious but unexplained amounts of grass stuck to its undercarriage and a blown-out front passenger tire.

The driver, Gloria E. Perkins, 42, of Bangor, was arrested on a charge of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicants, although she initially denied drinking at all.

Witnesses reported coming across the stalled car about 2 a.m. and said that the driver kept trying to start it, with no success. One motorist reported that it appeared that Perkins was intoxicated.

Officer Wade Betters said Perkins was unsteady on her feet as she approached him and that she handed him various documents to view, including a business card that she said the officer should call because it belonged to a man who could verify that she was a good person.

Asked whether she had been drinking, Perkins said “no,” although her passenger confided to Betters that “she drank about four beers, but she’s not over the legal limit,” according to the police report. Perkins then said, “I was the one driving the car, not him.”

Betters reported that he could smell alcohol on Perkins’ breath and that her eyes were glassy. Perkins could not complete or would not complete field sobriety tests and was taken into custody. Her blood alcohol content registered 0.23 percent, or nearly three times the legal limit of 0.08 percent.

– Compiled by NEWS reporter

Doug Kesseli