Trooper Dennis Quint was injured last Tuesday night when his cruiser struck a moose along U.S. Route 1 in Cyr Plantation in northern Aroostook County. The trooper at the time was responding to a car-moose collision in the same town. He was a few miles away from the first crash when a moose darted out into the road and collided with his cruiser.
The 2013 Ford Interceptor was demolished and Quint sustained cuts to his head and hand. He was transported to Cary Medical Center in Caribou, where he was treated and released.
The crash he was responding to also was on Route 1 involving a moose and a car. The driver was 26-year-old Melissa Martin of Van Buren. Martin and her passenger, Darlene Dias, 30, of Van Buren were transported by ambulance to Cary for treatment of non-life- threatening injuries.
Earlier on July 8, a man was killed along Interstate 95 in Howland when his van struck a moose.
State Police say the animals are on the move and will suddenly dart into the road during the summer months to escape insects. In addition, because of their dark coloring, moose are virtually invisible at night and drivers should use high beams and be on the lookout for them.