Trooper injured in crash
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — A Maine state trooper remained a Bangor hospital Tuesday, following an accident on the Caribou Road/U.S. Route 1 on Monday.
TRAFFIC WAS BACKED UP for miles on either side of a two-vehicle crash on U.S. Route 1, north of Presque Isle, late Monday afternoon. The accident occurred when Trooper Shawn Whalen attempted to change directions with his cruiser and was struck by a sedan driven by Eric Rosten, of Presque Isle. Whalen suffered a hip injury and was flown to a Bangor hospital. Rosten was not seriously injured. Here, a Presque Isle firefighter examines the damage to the cruiser, as MSP Sgt. Brian Harris discusses the crash with PIPD Officers Joey Seeley and Kevin Schumacher. Whalen’s K-9, Bailey, was in the police car but was not injured.
“On Feb. 25 at approximately 4:20 p.m., Trooper Shawn Whalen was involved in a two-vehicle crash on Route 1 in Presque Isle, north of the city. Trooper Whalen was traveling southbound and attempted to turn around in the roadway to reverse direction and go north. A 2006 Dodge Stratus, operated by Eric Rosten, 49, of Presque Isle, was traveling southbound behind Trooper Whalen,” said Sgt. Brian Harris, Maine State Police, lead investigator of the accident.
“As Trooper Whalen turned around in the road in front of Rosten, Rosten couldn’t avoid a collision and struck the driver’s side of Trooper Whalen’s cruiser,” continued Harris.
Whalen sustained a hip injury and was transported via Crown Ambulance to The Aroostook Medical Center and later flown by Fresh Air to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor for further treatment. Rosten sustained a minor injury to his hand but was not transported.
“Both Whalen’s vehicle, a 2011 Ford Crown Victoria, and Rosten’s vehicle sustained significant damage in the crash, with both considered a total loss. Both operators were wearing seatbelts and Rosten’s airbags also deployed,” said Harris.
“Trooper Whalen’s police K-9, Bailey, was with him at the time but was not injured in the crash and is fine,” said Harris.
The accident remains under investigation. Also assisting Harris at the scene were first responders of the Presque Isle Fire Department and Officers Joey Seeley and Kevin Schumacher of the Presque Isle Police Department.
Route 1 was closed for approximately two hours while the crash was investigated. Due to the accident occurring at the end of the work day for many, traffic was backed up for a couple miles on either side of the crash, with traffic re-routed along the Reach and Craig roads.
An official at EMMC indicated Whalen was listed in fair condition at presstime.
