An 85-year-old Durham man was killed on Tuesday when he was struck by a car while crossing the road to check his mailbox.
[RELATED: Lisbon Man Struck a 72-Year-Old Pedestrian Before Fleeing the Scene, Later Arrested in Brunswick…]
At approximately 5:01 p.m., the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Department received a report that a vehicle had struck a pedestrian at the intersection of Royalsborough Road and Smith Farm Road in Durham.
Deputies responded along with Durham Fire and Rescue personnel.
They found Peter Lowe, 85, of Durham, dead at the scene.
Based on a preliminary investigation, deputies believe that Sara Bolduc, 49, of Freeport, was traveling southbound on Royalsborough Road in a black 2019 Ford Escape when she struck Lowe.
At the time of the crash, Lowe was wearing dark clothing in an area without streetlights and was crossing the road, apparently to check his mailbox.
The crash remains under investigation, but signs point to its simply being a tragic accident as the Sheriff’s Department gave no indication that Bolduc was operating her vehicle recklessly when she struck Lowe.
It has been estimated online that between 70-100 Americans are killed each year in pedestrian/automobile collisions that occur when people are checking their mailboxes, though a precise statistic is not readily available. Given Maine’s largely rural character and aging demographic, it is a risk in this state that merits a higher degree of vigilance by drivers and pedestrians alike.
