Infant, father seriously injured in Franklin County crash

A tow truck prepares to haul the remnants of the vehicle from the crash scene in New Sharon, Maine. (MSP photo)

NEW SHARON, Maine - Police blame speed and aggressive driving in a Sunday crash that left a New Vineyard man and his infant son seriously injured.

Maine State Police say that around 2:45 p.m. a Trooper observed the man in a maroon 1999 Subaru Legacy speeding, traveling aggressively and making unsafe passes while heading eastbound on Route 2 in New Sharon. After turning his cruiser around, the Trooper discovered the driver of the Subaru had lost control after hitting a snow drift and crashed into a utility pole and several large trees causing the vehicle to land on its roof.

A passerby assisted the Trooper rendering life-saving first aid to the two occupants of the vehicle. The driver, 26-year-old Nicholas Walker of New Vineyard, was transported to Franklin Memorial hospital with serious injuries. His 5-month-old son, who was secured in a child safety seat, also sustained serious injuries and was taken by Lifeflight to Maine Medical Center.

Preliminary information suggests that aggressive driving, speed, and road conditions are possible contributing factors in the crash.

Route 2 was shut down for two hours while Troopers investigated the crash and Central Maine Power addressed the damaged utility pole. Maine Warden Service, Franklin County Sheriff's Deputies, New Sharon Fire Department, Maine Department of Transportation, Central Maine Power, Lifeflight of Maine, and NorthStar Ambulance Service all assisted the Maine State Police.