Fryeburg boat crash: officer has 'potentially life threatening injuries'
Kristina Rex, WCSH 4:10 AM. EDT May 28, 2017
FRYEBURG, Maine (NEWS CENTER) - Fryeburg Police say the two officers injured in a Saturday afternoon boat crash both have serious injuries - one of which is potentially life threatening.
Fryeburg Police say Officer Dale Stout (51) and Officer Nathan Desjardins (20) were out on the Saco River in a police boat attempting to locate a 26-year-old female whose canoe had capsized.
En route to the female, the officers hit an object near the shore while coming around a corner, causing them both to be ejected from the boat.
Both men had to be lifefligthted to Central Maine Medical Center.
Desjardins is currently suffering possibly life-threatening injuries, and Stout has 'serious' injuries, according to Police Chief Joshua Potvin.
Potvin describes Saturday as a 'difficult and exhausting day' for Fryeburg Police.
The 26-year-old South Berwick woman is still missing as of Sunday morning. Crews will resume the search at 7 AM - led by the Maine Warden Service.
The following press release was issued at about 2 a.m. Sunday by Fryeburg Police Chief Joshua Potvin:
On 05/27/2017 at approximately 3:50pm Fryeburg Police received a 9-1-1 call regarding a capsized canoe near mile 8 of the Saco River in Fryeburg. It was reported that a male and female were in the water. The male subject was rescued however a 26 year old female from South Berwick was not located. Two Fryeburg officers responded to the rescue call by deploying a motorized police jet-boat.
While enroute to rescue the missing female canoeist the police boat crashed, severely injuring the two officers aboard.
Both officers were thrown from the watercraft and sustained serious injuries. Officer Dale Stout (51) and Officer Nathan Desjardins (20) were flown to Central Maine Medical Center via Lifeflight. Stout sustained serious injuries and Desjardins sustained potential life threatening injuries.
Several area law enforcement agencies responded to the scene to assist. Maine Warden Service is the primary law enforcement agency responsible for the police watercraft crash as well as the missing canoeist.
=================
FRYEBURG, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- The Maine Warden Service temporarily suspended the search Saturday night for a woman who they say fell into the Saco River in Fryeburg during a boating accident.
As of 11 p.m., the Warden Service had not found the missing woman. They say she was in a boat with two other people which capsized.
The Warden Service says they plan to return to the search scene Sunday around 7 a.m. with the Maine Warden Service Dive Team.
Major Chris Cloutier said alcohol was a factor in the incident. Cloutier said the river is extremely, high, fast, and cold due to recent rains.
They said two Fryeburg police officers responded to the situation, trying to help the woman. The boat was going around a corner in the river when it collided with something on or near the shore.
The officers were taken by LifeFlight to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston. The condition of the victims is unknown at this time. The crash remains under investigation.
An Oxford County Sheriff's deputy says first responders in Fryeburg are looking for a woman who may have fallen into the water in the Saco River near Walker's Bridge.
Department of Public Safety spokesperson Steve McCausland said two Fryeburg police officers responded in a canoe to a report of multiple people who had fallen in the water. He said the canoe flipped, and both officers were taken by LifeFlight to hospitals.
As of 10:30 p.m. Saturday, first responders had left the scene at Walker's Bridge.
Multiple first responder agencies put out messages of support on their social media pages:
Oxford County Dispatchers say "some" of the people have been located, but could not say how many.
==============
Boater missing, police officers hurt in Saco River boat crash
Oxford Hills |
Saturday, May 27, 2017
Two Fryeburg police officers were seriously hurt Saturday afternoon when their boat crashed while responding to a report of an overturned canoe on the Saco River.
A man was rescued from the water next to his capsized canoe but his female companion had not been found by early Sunday morning.
The two police officers, meanwhile, were taken by Lifeflight helicopter to Central Maine Medical Center. They were identified as Officer Dale Stout, 51, and Nathan Desjardins, 20.
Stout sustained serious injuries, according to a Freyburg police press release. Desjaredins' injuries were considered potentially life threatening.
According to the release, at approximately 3:50 p.m. Saturday, Fryeburg Police received a 9-1-1 call regarding a capsized canoe near mile 8 of the Saco River. It was reported that a male and female were in the water. The male was rescued, however a 26 year old female from South Berwick was not located.
The two Fryeburg officers had responded to the rescue call by deploying a motorized police jet-boat. While enroute to rescue the missing female, the boat crashed, polie said.
Several area law enforcement agencies responded to the scene to assist. Maine Warden Service is the primary law enforcement agency responsible for the police watercraft crash as well as the missing canoeist.