ORRINGTON, Maine — Route 15 was shut down for nearly two hours Saturday morning after a driver attempting to pass another vehicle hit a patch of ice and lost control.
The 2004 Chevy Trailblazer, driven by Jason Swazey, 19, of Bucksport, left the road, took out a mailbox at 216 River Road, then hit a telephone pole and tree before coming to a rest in the roadway, according to Penobscot County Sheriff’s Deputy Tim Hall.
The crash happened about 7:20 a.m. and knocked out power to several area homes and businesses, Hall said. The Trailblazer was demolished.
Neither Swazey nor his passenger, his juvenile brother, was injured in the crash. Swazey suffered minor cuts and scrapes on his hands but refused medical help. One of the brothers’ parents picked them up at the scene, according to Hall.
“[Swazey] was very lucky because, with the amount of damage to the vehicle, the outcome could have been a lot worse,” Hall said Saturday afternoon.
The Trailblazer was in a passing zone when it attempted to pass the other vehicle, but icy conditions early Saturday made the move dangerous, Hall said.
Swazey was charged with imprudent speed as result of the accident and failure to display a valid inspection sticker.
Hall and Orrington firefighters redirected traffic around that section of Route 15 for about two hours while the wreckage was cleared away.
Lucky he didn’t kill someone including his little brother.
People…what is the f#%!ing hurry??? It just gets me how people drive even when it’s slippery.
Cindy sez, “My little boy wouldn’t do that”
young drivers…UGGGH
old drivers … UGGGH, too
yup, young drivers who get straight A’s in school, would never touch drugs or alcohol ever in their lives, and who happened to be going below the speed limit? yeah, you’re smart aren’t you?
Sounds like someone is rather conceited. You can be going below the speed limit and still be going too fast for the conditions. Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear your have learned from your mistake.
And going “below the speed limit” was to fast yesterday in that area.
AHhhh The infamous School of hard knocks! Glad they’re OK.
I’m going to start clipping these types of articles and showing them to my 10-year old son. If I keep doing that between now and when he turns 17, then maybe–MAYBE–he will get the message.
Don’t count on it.
He’ll also have a HUGE moutain of paper to deal with!
these are called incidents with people, this will continue every day no matter what. It’s called living life!!!!
Kudos to the police for charging him. Most of the time these bozos get away with it.
This is typical for this part of Rte#15.It is a 35 MPH area and I get behind vehicles(consistently)that are going 55 and higher (of course Sgt.Carlson will tell you the “average” speed is 45-the speed limit is 35!!!!!) . This is an area in a school zone,a 4-way intersection ,many new subdivisions,a veterinary clinic, a strip mall (with Dunkin’ Donuts that everyone late for work must speed to for their coffee before they are even later to work) and other high traffic situations.
The DOT is , now , widening the area up near Center Drive to further increase the speed (highest speed limit in this area is 40 MPH) for the 18-wheelers hauling FUEL(combustible) /woodchips,etc. to Bucksport and all the trash trucks headed to PERC Plant!
Something needs to be done about this! If Veazie,Hampden and Indian Island can control their speeders , surely Orrington can do the same. If they stop enough of these infractions it would pay for more Deputies to be able to patrol it more often and during the HIGH traffic times (7:00A.M. to 7:00P.M.) especially since the fines are higher in school zones! Just think how much money the Town could collect!
So , PLEASE , those of you who drive this area, think how you would like it if we all drove 60-65 MPH in front of YOUR home, and SLOW DOWN and drive prudently.
There is no school zone in the area; none, nada, zippo.
Edit: Also, the speed limit will go from 25 in Brewer, to 35, then up to 40, then back down to 35 and then it will increase to 45 until it hits 50.
Actually, there is a school there. Calvary Chapel Christian School is just past the intersection, where North Orrington Elementary used to be.
That does not make it a school zone. One does not have to slow down to 15mph at certain hours and hence, it is not a school zone.
Posted School Zone sign (open your eyes and look for it!) means that you do , indeed , need to slow down!
There is no sign, at all. I travel up and down 15 often and there is no sign, at all.
The sign is right after the automobile garage (before the school as you head to Brewer).
Open your eyes and look.Do you , also , not see the 35 MPH sign by Snows Corner Mobil?
And bluesin the accident/crash occurred south of Snows Corner Road and was NOT in the school zone. Even if the accident/crash was in the school zone it was Saturday morning and the reduced speed limit of a school zone was not in affect.
Semantics. And.. the word is “effect”” , as it does not “affect’ you.
Doesn’t change the fact the the school zone was no where near the scene of the accident/crash.
Again, my post had nothing to say that the accident happened in the school zone!
Maybe you haven’t had your morning cup of DD but here are your words from your first post:
“This is typical for this part of Rte#15.It is a 35 MPH area and I get behind vehicles(consistently)that are going 55 and higher (of course Sgt.Carlson will tell you the “average” speed is 45-the speed limit is 35!!!!!) . This is an area in a school zone,a 4-way intersection ,many new subdivisions,a veterinary clinic, a strip mall (with Dunkin’ Donuts that everyone late for work must speed to for their coffee before they are even later to work) and other high traffic situations.”
Have a great day.
So where does this say the accident occurred in a school zone? My post is saying that speeding is an issue that causes many crashes in this area(again…Center Drive to the Brewer town line ) and there is Calvary Chapel school in that area (Center Drive to the Brewer town line) and I don’t waste my money on DD. I drink mine at home so I don’t have to speed to DD and so I won’t be be late to where I am going.
Why do you only focus on the (nonexistent???) school and not the Vet clinic, the 4-way intersection , the strip mall , all the new subdivisions , etc. ? Do you have a problem with schools?Maybe word context would not be an issue if school was not an issue for you?
Enjoy your day and your DD.
I will look for the sign on my way to Bucksport and if it is there then I stand corrected but I will add this. If it is there nobody, at all ever does obey it and it is not enforced, ever.
Look for it by the auto garage on the right as you head back to Brewer .
And just because it is not enforced (part of my reason for posting my original post) doesn’t make it legal to disobey state laws ,nor does the fact that nobody else obeys the law. Just because someone robs a bank or pharmacy does that mean you or I should be able to do the same?
bluesion I “looked for” the “Posted School Zone sign” in BOTH directions by Foreign Auto and Hobbs Road this morning and they DO NOT EXIST.
The only signage in that area at two (one from each direction) that say “School Entrance”. There is no signage requesting a reduced speed in the area and there are no 15 m.p.h. sign either.
No go ahead and say it is “semantics” like you have been doing when you are WRONG.
I believe that the laws from the State of Maine would still consider this a school zone. Why don’t you consult a police department rather than argue over your ego?
My ego is just fine but thank you for your concern.
So how does that justify going OVER 35 in a 35 MPH?
I stated that from Snows Corner to Center Drive was an area that does not have ANY speed limit ABOVE 40 MPH…not anything after that area.It DOES NOT go to 50 MPH until one crosses the County Line into Hancock County. I am guessing you travel this area a lot and get upset when someone is prudent enough to do THE POSTED limit?
There is no “school zone” in that area. Calvary Chapel is between 1/4 and a 1/2 mile north of where the accident occurred.
1/4 mile is considered a School Zone!
The accident did not occur within a “school zone” bluesin. I travel that road every day and the “school zone” does not start until you are north of Snows Corner Road. This accident occurred well south of Snows Corner Road.
“well south”? it was 100 feet (one telephone pole distance ) from Snows Corner Mobil entrance.Besides I NEVER said ‘the CRASH’ happened in the school zone. Try actually reading my post rather than playing word games ( in case you , also , don’t understand the word Semantics!
bluesin the crash/accident happened 3-4 telephone polls south of the southerly entrance to Snows Corner On the Run Mobile station. Specifically two house south of the River Road Vet on the same side of the road.
And this is what you said “This is typical for this part of Rte#15.It is a 35 MPH area and I get
behind vehicles(consistently)that are going 55 and higher (of course
Sgt.Carlson will tell you the “average” speed is 45-the speed limit is
35!!!!!) . This is an area in a school zone…”
To keep you from getting further confused , the area I was referring to was Center Drive to the Brewer Town Line and crashes are typical/occur frequently in this area (Center Drive to the Brewer Town line).Calvary chapel School IS in this area(Center Drive to the Brewer Town line) . I have people pass me ON THE LEFT WHEN I TRY TO TURN LEFT into my driveway in this area(Center Drive to the Brewer Town line) all the time.
Again…semantics.
bluesin the only one “confused” is you.
There are NO school zone signs on Route 15 (River Road) in Orrington. None, zero, zilch nada.
The signs by Clavary Chapel say “School Entrance”. There are no “15 m.p.h. School Zone” signs and without them there is no legal requirement to reduce the speed.
Again, semantics.
just because he crashed he was charged with imprudent speed, that charge sounds kinds vague. how fast was he going just because he was passing someone maybe he wasnt speeding, is it possibkle someone was turning into a drive way? funny how we jump to conclusions
finally someone who is reasonable! i was the driver today and i was only going 30 in a 35, had 4×4 engaged and studded tires on. i went around someone who was turing into their driveway and when i was moving back into my lane i turned the wheel too fast and caught the black ice. I wasn’t speeding speeding at all
If the conditions warranted having the 4×4 engaged in addition to studded tires, it likely wasn’t a good idea to try to pass someone. Please consider learning from your mistake.
“only going 30” and yet there was an incredable amount of damage done. YES…you were going to fast for the road conditions! Be thankful and learn from the experience.
The only reason you received a ticket is because of your age. Thank you for not being on your cell phone. I hope you did learn how fast your life can be taken away.
4×4 doesn’t mean that you can travel at speeds inconsistent with the conditions. 4×4 still spin, slid, etc…They take just as long to stop too.
so glad you are both safe!!
“Imprudent speed” is different from “speeding”.
He lost control of his vehicle. Therefore he was going too fast for the conditions. End of story. Book him.
Imprudent speed leaves it wide open for the officer to fine you………..make money. It happen to me going 35 up I95 in an ice storm!!!!
So glad they are both okay! Jason is a very nice young man and I am sure he is quite shaken up by this and by the thought of how much different the outcome could have been. Hopefully he has learned his lesson!
what is the “lesson”? This is a young man that pulled out to go around someone pulling into their driveway, hit ice and lost control. Maybe the lesson is how do you clean the crap out of your pants after a car accident?????? People will continue to have accidents and live or die every day not matter what. It’s called LIVING your LIFE.
Accidents happen!! Not always someones “Fault” – Just very thankful that no one was hurt – and — Jason, don’t get upset. continue making the right choices — and remember, accidents happen to everyone!! Watch the speed limit — obey the laws — and just do your best!! always!!
Wrong. Always somebody’s fault.
Transportation officials correctly call these “crashes,” as they are not accidents. An accident is unforeseeable.
This kid was clearly driving too fast for the conditions. It was his fault.
I noticed in the last storm….many folks sped up instead of slowing down. We need some warmer weather to thaw out some brain cells!
Hey man, Dont listen to these people, Regardless of fault just be thankful no one was seriously hurt. it an eye opener for sure and when it comes to others comments Regardless of everything You were going faster then you should have they are all Crime scene investigaters and never once slid while driving, I know for a fact one of the people commenting Has an OUI he isnt bringing up.
Sounds like the person reporting this accident is a little bias, perhaps they had to wait in the traffic. Sounds to me that it was a good pass since he waited until he was in a passing lane, and the rest of the road was clear according to the report and using the phrase icy “patch”. Not sure where the “dangerous move” comes into play. Sounds more like persons, including the officer at the scene are stereotyping, yet again, a male teenage driver. These are rear wheel drive vehicles so when the DOT is taking care of these roads they should ensure that places shaded or ones that don’t drain properly due to improper engineering during road construction have extra attention, salt, or sand. How do we know? The person in front of him may have been doing 25 under the speed limit or driving at inconsistent speeds which is even more dangerous, could’ve even sped up when he went to pass. When the police officer said “[Swazey] was very lucky because, with the amount of damage to the
vehicle, the outcome could have been a lot worse,” Hall said Saturday
afternoon. One would think that he would have stated “the crew responsible for maintaining the road is very lucky that someone wasn’t killed on that “patch of ice” since it apparently was in the other lane and a vehicle driving toward this stretch of cars could have easily hit it, spun out of control, and into oncoming traffic in which case there would be a strong likelihood of a fatality as with most head on collisions. Anyway, glad these boys are okay, and hope people in SUVS realize that they are still rear wheel drive and auto 4×4 and traction control won’t have a chance to kick in when it’s just a patch or a few feet of ice so anyone driving one needs to be taught how to get it back under control when you start to lose your behind.
Dumb! What’s so important that you can’t be just a little late? It could save your life or someone elses!