Howland woman injured after sideswiping truck

HOWLAND – A Howland woman was injured Thursday afternoon when her car struck a commercial truck on the bridge over the Piscataquis River.

Shirley Bryer, 65, was listed in stable condition at Penobscot Valley Hospital early Thursday evening.

While driving her 1996 Saturn across the bridge at noon, Bryer apparently crossed the into the other lane and sideswiped a truck driven by 48-year-old William Morris of Enfield, according to Trooper Tom Fiske of the Maine State Police. Bryer’s car hit a set of steps hanging down from the truck, turned sideways and became lodged under the truck, Fiske said.

Bryer was trapped in the car and rescue crews from the Howland Fire Department used electric saws to cut off the car’s roof. Fiske didn’t see the extent of the driver’s injuries, but said Thursday afternoon that they did not appear to be life-threatening.

Bryer’s air bag deployed, but she didn’t appear to have been wearing a seat belt, Fiske said. Morris was wearing a seat belt and was uninjured in the accident, he said.

Driver inattention appears to be the cause of the accident, Fiske said. Speed wasn’t a factor, nor were drugs or alcohol, he said.

The truck, owned by Morris’ employer, Lincare Inc. of Hermon, had roughly $7,000 in damage, Fiske said. Bryer’s car was demolished, he said.

The accident closed the bridge to traffic for about three hours, and cars were diverted to Routes 6 and 116.