UMaine basketball game at BU postponed after bus crash
A bus carrying the University of Maine’s women’s basketball team crashed on Interstate 95 in Georgetown on Tuesday night. According to reports, 22 people were taken to the hospital as a result of the crash, but only the driver has severe injuries.
The bus was heading southbound on I-95 when one of the coaches noticed the driver slumped over the wheel. The bus veered across the northbound lanes and went down an embankment. The crash happened around 8:30pm on Feb. 26.
“The coach got up to try to get control of the bus, but before he could do that, the bus went from the southbound lane across the median, across all four lanes northbound,” said State Police Major Arthur Sugrue. “It did not strike any other vehicles. It went off the road, into the woods and struck several trees.”
Georgetown Fire Chief Al Beardsley said it was a miracle no other cars were involved.
“This is a very heavily traveled road, day and night, and for a bus that size to basically catapult across the road, I couldn’t imagine being northbound and seeing that thing coming at me,” Beardsley said.
Jeffrey Hamlin, 55, was driving the bus that night. He was conscious after the crash and was rushed to Boston Medical Center on a MedFlight rescue helicopter. State police say he is still there and is listed in “fair” condition. Police believe he was having a medical episode, which caused him to go unconscious while driving. The exact cause is still under investigation.
All injuries were minor, the worst being the broken hand of freshman guard Milica Mitrovic. All players taken to hospitals were released early this morning.
The team was heading to Boston to play Boston University Wednesday night, but the game has been postponed.
