2 injured in truck rollover on I-95 offramp in Etna

ETNA – Two were injured, one seriously, after a rollover on the Interstate 95 offramp Tuesday night in Etna.

At about 8:20 p.m., Etna Fire and Rescue, Community Ambulance and Carmel Ambulance rushed to the I-95 northbound offramp, where a pickup truck had rolled over. A LifeFlight helicopter took off from Bangor just as the ambulances arrived at the scene. It arrived 13 minutes later, landing in a nearby field where three flashing beacons had been set up.

Maine State Police Trooper Forrest Simpson said the driver, Daniel Demmons of Etna, driving home with his wife, Shirley, swerved to avoid a deer just before losing control of the truck. Simpson said that accident reconstruction officers were examining the area.

Etna Fire and Rescue Chief Walter Gibbons said Shirley Demmons was thrown from the pickup truck, suffering severe head trauma. She was unconscious. Her husband was walking around, Gibbons said, but was very agitated about his wife’s condition. He was taken to the hospital by ambulance.

At 8:59 p.m. Shirley Demmons was wheeled from the ambulance to the helicopter, which took off seven minutes later. Sean Harrington, chief of Etna Rescue, said he had called for the helicopter because of the severity of the Demmonses’ injuries.

It took extra time to stabilize Shirley Demmons before takeoff, Harrington said.

The day before, Harrington said, in an accident that happened at the same exit on I-95, LifeFlight was able to land, receive the patient, and take off. This time, it turned out, the ambulance might have been able to make it to the hospital in the same time as the helicopter.

Trooper Simpson said Shirley Demmons will probably survive the accident.