(Portland, ME) December 5, 2024 – A Camden woman is dead after she was struck by a vehicle on Wednesday. Camden police are investigating the death of a woman in a powered wheelchair who was hit by a van and died Wednesday morning. The woman, who has not been identified, was riding in her wheelchair alongside John Street when an eastbound minivan hit her on its passenger side, News Center Maine reported. Police said she lived on the street and was in her 60s.
Local police and members of the Maine State Police were reconstructing and investigating the crash. The Camden Police Department’s on-duty sergeant said he did not know details of the crash Wednesday night and said more information would be provided by the chief Thursday morning.
“The BCM encourages all road users to exercise caution and be aware of vulnerable road users, including pedestrians, cyclists and people using mobility devices such as wheelchairs” said Paul Drinan, Active Transportation Director for the Bicycle Coalition of Maine (BCM). The BCM encourages all drivers to slow down and look for people biking, walking, or rolling. With the size of vehicles trending larger, we remind drivers to take extra care in checking the spaces around them to ensure they are clear. The BCM urges law enforcement to carefully examine the conditions, driver and pedestrian behavior, and any additional circumstances that may have been contributing factors to the crash.
This is the fourteenth pedestrian killed in Maine in this year, and according to the State of Maine’s Maine Public Crash Query Tool, there have been 217 pedestrian crashes to date in 2024 in a variety of contexts. The crash remains under investigation.
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The Bicycle Coalition of Maine works to make Maine a better and safer place to bike, walk, and roll. Founded in 1992, the Bicycle Coalition of Maine has grown into the leading bicycle and pedestrian advocacy group in the state. The Coalition believes all Mainers should have access to bikes and bike education, and we envision a future where Maine’s roads, public ways, and trails are safe and accessible, resulting in cleaner travel options, improved health, and stronger economic benefits for Maine communities.