New details emerge in Christmas night crash

LEBANON - State Police today released more information about the multi-car Christmas night crash on Route 202, including that the SUV in which the two most seriously injured were found was headed toward Sanford, not Rochester as originally reported.

State Police Trooper James Macdonald said the man and woman who were in the SUV continue to recover from their injuries, though he couldn't confirm whether they were still at Maine Medical Center in Portland where they were taken the night of the crash, which involved four cars in all.

Macdonald said he did not know the hometown of the male occupant of the SUV who was the most seriously injured, but said the female in the car was from Lebanon.

The collision occurred in the area of Stokewood Drive around 6 p.m. on Christmas when the SUV and a pickup truck headed toward Rochester collided head-on and two vehicles following the pickup also became involved.

Macdonald said an accident reconstruction team was still trying to determine the exact cause of the crash, but has yet to release its final report. He said when responders arrived both the pickup truck and the SUV were off the road and in the ditch off the eastbound side of the highway.

When responders first arrived one car was on fire, which was quickly extinguished, according to Lebanon Rescue Deputy Chief Kevin Romano.

Four of the other victims were transported to Frisbie Memorial Hospital, Biddeford Medical Center and Southern Maine Medical Center in Sanford.

Three refused patient transport.

Responders on scene included Northeast Mobile Health Services, North Berwick Rescue, Sanford Fire Department and Frisbie EMS. Lebanon Rescue 1, Rescue 2 and EMS 1 responded at the Paramedic Level.