Head-on crash sends 4 to hospital

A 72-year-old man visiting from Massachusetts apparently fell asleep at the wheel and hit a vehicle head-on Wednesday afternoon while driving on Main Street in Orono, Sgt. Scott Scripture said later in the day.

Merrill Huntley was driving a Toyota Highlander when he drove over the centerline, just south of Kelly Road, and hit Richard Thurston, 86, of Steuben who was driving a Chevy Impala. Both vehicles had extensive front-end damage, Scripture said.

Both men had female passengers and all four were wearing seat belts. Both vehicles’ front seat air bags deployed and all four people were taken to Eastern Maine Medical Center for complaints of pain and scratches, Scripture said.

“They were lucky,” the sergeant said. “It’s a good example of air bags and seat belts working together.”

Orono Fire Department was on hand to help and Old Town Fire Department sent its ambulance to help transport the injured. The Main Road was closed for about 10 minutes. (Nok-Noi Ricker, BDN)

A Brewer man and a teenager from Princeton were charged with burglary Saturday after apparently breaking into garages at two different homes in Hermon.

Flint Adam Harriman II, 18, who goes by his middle name, was charged with two counts of burglary and two counts of theft by unauthorized taking after breaking into a garage and a shed on Fuller and Annis roads, said Trooper Christopher Hashey of the Maine State Police.

The 15-year-old male juvenile, who is on probation for a previous crime, was charged with burglary and theft and for violating his conditions of release. He was taken to Mountain View Youth Development Center in Charleston.

Items recovered during the investigation include a chain saw, gas cans, golf clubs, a drill set and a hedge trimmer, Hashey said. (Nok-Noi Ricker, BDN)