Officials urge caution as moose collisions spike

The cruiser, seen here, was destroyed in the collision. (Courtesy photo)

A Maine State Trooper was injured late Tuesday night when his cruiser struck a moose in northern Aroostook County, and safety officials are warning motorists to be wary of the huge beasts as they are likely this time of year to abruptly dart onto highways to escape biting insects.

Area moose-car collisions happen most often on Route 202 in Lebanon. A moose car collision on Milton Mills Road in 2009 required the Jaws of Life to free a victim in a collision with a 2-year-old bull moose weighing about 600 pounds.

In Tuesday night’s mishap, Trooper Dennis Quint was responding to a car-moose collision along Route 1 in Cyr Plantation.

He was a few miles away from the first crash when a moose darted out into the road and collided with his cruiser. The cruiser, 2013 Ford Interceptor, was demolished. Quint sustained cuts to his head and hand, and was transported to a local hospital with what were described as nonlife-threatening injuries.

The crash he was responding to also was on Route 1 involving a moose and a car. Two 26-year-old females from Van Buren were injured in that crash. Both were transported to a local hospital for what were described as nonlife-threatening injuries.   

Earlier Tuesday morning, a man was killed along Interstate 95 in Howland when his van struck a moose.

The man, Sidney Oakes, 60, of Brewer, was driving his Dodge Grand Caravan south on Interstate 95 and struck the moose around 1 a.m. Officials said Oakes died at the scene. He was the sole occupant of the vehicle.

State Police warn that because of their dark coloring, moose are virtually invisible at night, and with their now-often-erratic movements can be especially dangerous. They said drivers should use high beams and be on the lookout for them.

There are more than 500 moose-vehicle collisions every year in Maine. Tuesday’s fatality was the first deadly moose crash since 2012.