News

Monmouth Police Lt. in Critical Condition After Crash

Image from Androscoggin County Sheriff's Office


A Monmouth police lieutenant is in critical condition after being involved in a head-on crash in Turner Monday evening.

Two people in the other vehicle were injured in the crash and were taken to a local hospital while the Monmouth police lieutenant, 52-year-old Dana Wessling, was flown to Maine Medical Center in Portland.

Lieutenant Wessling’s seven-year-old son was a passenger in his police cruiser and only received minor injuries.

Police say the other vehicle crossed the center, leading to the head-on crash, which took place at about 4:50 pm Monday at the intersection of Turner Center Road and Bradford Road in Turner.

The Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office says a silver 2013 Ford F150 pickup truck driven by 41-year-old Sean McNeil of Minot came around a curve and crossed the centerline and was in Wessling’s lane when the two vehicles crashed. Both vehicles sustained extensive front-end damage and are considered to be totaled.

McNeil and his passenger, a 47-year-old female from Turner, were both transported by Turner and Buckfield Rescue to Central Maine Medical Center with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

Wessling had to be extricated from his police cruiser before being flown to Portland. A GoFundMe page in support of Lieutenant Wessling’s family said if he makes a full recovery, “it’ll be a miracle.”

He was on his way home at the end of his shift and had just picked up his son at daycare when the crash occurred.

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