MACHIAS, Maine — A woman with two young children escaped serious injury when the vehicle they were traveling in went off the road and overturned several times, police reported Thursday.
Dayna Alley, 26, of Harrington was driving a 2004 Dodge Durango east on Court Street, also known as U.S. 1A, on the outskirts of Machias when the accident occurred about 10:40 a.m., reported officer Darrel Hinerman.
Alley, accompanied by two sons, ages 3 years and 6 days, said she fell asleep and veered onto the soft shoulder, then overcorrected in an effort to regain control of the sport utility vehicle, according to Hinerman. The vehicle rolled over about five times, he said.
The SUV came to rest on the driver’s side about 20-30 feet from the road. It came to a stop on the edge of the Down East Sunrise Trail. It was missing a rear wheel, which was beside the road, and other debris was strewn from the road to the vehicle.
Alley received minor lacerations, but the children were not injured, said Hinerman. All three were properly restrained, he said.
Alley was taken to Down East Community Hospital in Machias where she was treated and released.
Firefighters were able to remove the children readily, but they had to take off the windshield in order to extricate Alley, who was not charged in the accident.
The vehicle, which Hinerman estimated was worth about $6,000-$7,000, was a total loss.
The accident occurred near Munson Pitch Road, about three-tenths of a mile west of Down East Community Hospital.
Machias ambulance personnel responded along with the town’s fire department, the East Machias Fire Department and the Maine Warden Service.