The Accident

I’m not exactly sure how to start this, so I will just roll out the facts as we received them; I will digest, in chronological order, the horror that befell the morning of the 23^rd of March of the year 2011.

Louise is a quilter. Like a single block of fabric in an intricate quilt pattern, she was a member of a community of quilt makers; the stiches that connected Louise to her quilting communities were the hours spent teaching, showing and discussing the craft amongst her sisters of the stitch; hanging with her stitch and bitch buddies. Louise was on her way to one of these assemblages in Bangor Maine early one morning.

As she had many times before, Louise made her way north from her home in Searsport, Maine, along the meandering rocky coast that defines the Searsport and Stockton Harbors, then headed north, away from the ocean on route 1A, winding through the small towns and communities that spot the rolling hills between Searsport and Bangor (see picture).  Approaching the small village of Frankfort, Louise would have slowed to 25mph as she passed the general store and fire station, snaking through the town center before climbing a long hill and accelerating toward the 50 mph speed limit. What happened on that stretch of back road in the moments after Frankfort disappeared from Louise’s rearview grips the breath and shadows the sight.

William Hinkle Jr. was driving southbound on Route 1A, between the communities of Winterport and Frankfort; he was driving the same road, and at the same time, on which Louise was driving north. It was reported that William started to pass a vehicle in front of him by entering the opposite lane where his vehicle collided with Louise’s Subaru. 

I wish I could report the names of the individuals that responded without hesitation. According to the police report, someone who witnessed the collision called 911 immediately. Fortunately the fire station was close by and the 1^st responders were there within minutes, using the Jaws of Life to rip the top of the Subaru away and remove Louise from the heap of metal. The EMTs and the LifeFlight pilot took over from there, keeping Louise stable while getting her to the East Maine Medical Center (EMMC) in Bangor.

The tremendously talented trauma team of EMMC continued to work on Louise when the LifeFlight helicopter arrived. The reporting officer contacted Larry, Louise’s husband; Phone calls were made; Flights were booked; Fingers were crossed.