Truck rollover sends woman to EMMC

A pickup towing a camper eastbound on Route 9 in Hancock County rolled over Tuesday afternoon, sending an Arizona woman to the hospital, state police said.

Maine State Police Trooper Chuck Matthews said a passenger in the pickup, Margaret Ryerson, 62, of Lake Havasu City, Ariz., suffered lacerations on her head and was taken to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor.

Both Ryerson and her husband, Paul Hamilton, 59, the driver, were wearing seat belts.

The accident occurred Monday afternoon in Township 22, about five miles from Aurora.

Ryerson was riding on the passenger side of the 2005 Ford F-350, when the pickup-trailer combination fishtailed as it headed down a hill near mile marker 233. Hamilton apparently lost control, resulting in the rollover, Matthews said at the scene.

Hamilton did not complain of pain, Matthews said.

A combination of wind and load placement could have been the reason, Matthews said.

The cabin of the 2003 Keystone Sprinter camper ripped off the two-axle frame, littering the road with camping materials, canned food and magazines.

The truck flipped onto the passenger side, breaking glass, before stopping facing west in the opposite lane of traffic, Aurora Fire Chief Floyd Lawrence said.

The couple were headed to Calais, then on to Canada, Lawrence said.

Ryerson had a 1-inch cut with swelling to her head and was taken to EMMC so hospital staff could determine whether she had a skull fracture, the fire chief said.