An accident this morning on Interstate 95 near the northbound Hampden rest area sent an Etna man to the hospital with severe injuries to his head and the left side of his body.

Blaine Brooks, 57, remembers sneezing, but appears to have blacked out due to some type of medical problem around 7:40 a.m. before veering into the median and a stand of trees, according to Maine State Police Trooper Darren Vittum.

One of the trees broke through the windshield and pushed Brooks into the back seat of his 2004 blue Ford minivan. Hampden Fire and Rescue workers had to use extrication equipment to remove Brooks from his vehicle.

Brooks told Vittum he was wearing a seat belt, the trooper said. Other drivers reported the accident, and two people stopped to stay with Brooks until rescue crews arrived. (Aimee Dolloff, BDN).

A University of Maine student has been charged with misdemeanor assault after an incident Monday.

UM Department of Public Safety officers were waved down near Memorial Union by a male student asking for an ice pack.

Police noticed that the student’s left eye was bruised and swollen, but he refused medical treatment and ran away.

After asking people in the area, police found a witness who said she had seen another male student approach the victim and punch him in the face. The victim later changed his mind and called police with details.

As a result, Anthony Cook, 19, was summoned for misdemeanor assault. The incident also has been referred to UM Judicial Affairs to see if it is a violation of the Student Conduct Code. (Aimee Dolloff, BDN).