Press Releases

Contact: Edie Smith, Spokesperson
Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
284 State Street
41 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333

Media representatives can receive press releases via e-mail.

Telephone: work (207) 592-4348

Fax: (207) 287-6395

April 10, 2009

New Vineyard Woman Dies From Injuries Suffered in ATV Accident

Augusta, Maine - A 65-year-old New Vineyard woman who was seriously injured in an ATV accident at her home on Thursday died this morning at a Lewiston hospital.

Wilma Touchette, 65, of New Vineyard, was traveling on her private gravel driveway off of Pratt Mountain Road to her car at approximately 8:10 a.m. Thursday, April 9. She was en route to work at a small business she owns with her husband, Ronald. The Touchettes park their cars on solid ground near the end of their driveway and use ATVs to travel to and from their home.

Mrs. Touchette was attempting to drive around a sinkhole that formed in the driveway the night before when the vehicle rolled, according to Game Warden Dan Christianson, who is investigating the incident.

Approximately 40 minutes later, Mr. Touchette was riding his ATV down the driveway to his parked car, and noticed his wife lying on the ground with head injuries. Mrs. Touchette was not wearing a helmet.

Emergency services were contacted, and the Maine Warden Service received notice of the incident at 9:08 a.m. LifeFlight was called immediately as Mrs. Touchette was transported to Franklin Memorial Hospital. She then transported by LifeFlight to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston, where she died at 9:40 a.m. today.

The incident is under investigation.

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