ORIENT — A 74-year-old Orient woman was killed Saturday evening after she was struck by a vehicle in her driveway.
Janet Desmarais was struck by a 2016 Ford 150 pick-up truck driven by her husband, 76-year-old Norbert Desmarais, as she was walking out of the couple’s garage on Macallister Lane, according to Aroostook County Sheriff Darrell Crandall.
The Sheriff’s Office received a 9-1-1 call reporting the incident shortly after 6 p.m. Saturday. Deputy Sheriffs Stewart Kennedy and Alishia Ledger, as well as an ambulance from the Northern Washington/Southern Aroostook Ambulance Service responded.
Janet Desmarais was transported to Houlton Regional Hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries.
The investigation by the Sheriff’s Office determined that Norbert Desmarais was repositioning his vehicle in his driveway while his wife Janet retrieved an item from the couple’s garage. While backing up his pickup, Norbert accidentally struck his wife, who had come back out of the garage, Crandall said. Norbert then struck his garage causing extensive damage.
A full investigation, undertaken in coordination with the Maine Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, determined it to be an accidental death.
“This is a horrible tragedy, and we offer our condolences to the family,” Crandall said.
