Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office

Crash at Newcastle on-ramp snarls Tuesday morning traffic

Tue, 10/11/2016 - 1:30pm

On Tuesday, Oct. 11, a two-car accident in Newcastle disrupted Route One traffic for about an hour beginning around 9 a.m.

Leigh Tilden, 71, of Damariscotta was driving a Subaru station wagon, stopped at the Newcastle on-ramp to southbound Route One, Sgt. Jason Nein of the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office wrote in an email. Katherine Garren, 70, of Damariscotta, was a passenger in the Subaru. Teresa Burch, 64, of Damariscotta was driving a 2005 BMV Mini Cooper behind Tilden’s car.

According to Nein’s email, Burch did not notice that the Tilden car had stopped, and she rear-ended the Subaru. Following the crash, her Mini Cooper caught fire. Burch and her dog were able to escape before the car was engulfed in flames. All parties were wearing seat belts and no injuries were reported. Nein, the primary investigating officer, said no charges are being contemplated. The Newcastle Fire Department responded to extinguish the flames and conduct traffic control.