A “side-swipe” head-on collision at a sharp curve on Route 144 on Westport Island sent one woman to the hospital with non life-threatening injuries March 21.

The two-car, near head-on collision involving two Westport Island residents occurred shortly before 4 p.m.

Anna Belle Kinney, 46, was driving a 2000 Buick LeSabre northbound and Carol Norris, 60, was driving a 2012 Hyndai southbound on Route 144, according to Lincoln County Sheriff's Deputy Kevin Dennison.

The collision occurred as both cars veered into the center line as they each rounded the curve, according to Lincoln Sheriff's Sgt. Jason Nein, an accident reconstruction specialist at the scene. Nein called the accident a “side-swipe” collision that avoided a direct impact and instead sent each car swerving to the northbound side of the road.

Kinney's LeSabre swerved off the road and came to rest on the northbound shoulder, while Norris's Hyndai rotated counter-clockwise, entered the northbound lane and came to rest on the northbound side of the road, according to Nein.

“Had it been another six inches to a foot, it would have been a more serious accident,” Dennison said.

Emergency crews did have to extricate Kinney from her vehicle, as the driver's side door was crushed and jammed shut, according to Nein. Firefighters and EMS personnel from Wiscasset and Westport Island responded to the scene.

Kinney was taken by ambulance to Midcoast Hospital in Brunswick complaining of pains in her legs. There were no other injuries reported. Both vehicles were destroyed in the crash.