A three-vehicle collision over the noon hour on Sunday on Route 4 just east of the former Scotland By The Yard store in Quechee resulted in only minor injuries but it knocked the axles out from underneath a 35-foot tow-along trailer and forced lengthy traffic delays for hours. (Eric Francis Photo)
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By Eric Francis, Standard Correspondent
QUECHEE – A mechanical failure reportedly resulted in a three vehicle collision that left a 35-foot tow-along camper blocking the eastbound lane of Route 4 in Quechee for over four hours on Sunday afternoon.
Christopher Flynn, 21, of Bridgewater and his two passengers sustained only minor injuries after a tire suddenly snapped loose from his Subaru and sent the small blue car veering sharply across the center lines where it collided with the camper being towed by a large pickup truck driven by John Sheppard of Raymond, New Hampshire, according to police.
“He took both axles out from underneath the camper trailer, completely disabling it,” noted Hartford Police Officer Sean Fernandes.
A couple of seconds later Flynn’s car peeled the rear bumper off a red Buick belonging to Harry Curtis of Statesville, North Carolina, police said.
Both Sheppard and Curtis reportedly had a passenger in their respective vehicles but none of them were hurt.
Flynn’s Subaru left the pavement and went airborne a little more than a car-length over a steep embankment before it rammed straight into a rising hillside and ended up suspended over the gap with it’s entire front end flattened.
Officer Fernandes said that Flynn put the blame for the accident on a defective wheel bearing which apparently caused a tie rod to suddenly snap on one of the front tires, sending the car into a sharp left-hand curve.
“Nothing criminal” was responsible for the mishap which took place just east of the former Scotland By The Yard store, causing lengthy delays in both directions along the busy highway, but Flynn was issued “multiple tickets,” Officer Fernandes said.