WINDHAM – Both drivers, including a Cumberland County Sheriff’s deputy, were to blame for a two-car collision that disrupted rush-hour traffic on Route 302 in Windham last week.

The low-speed accident occurred near the intersection of Whites Bridge Road and Route 302 on Friday, Oct. 14, at about 5:45 p.m.

According to Capt. Shawn O’Leary, Deputy Brad Chicoine was traveling southbound on Route 302 when he received a call to respond to Raymond for a domestic violence assault in progress. Chicoine activated his siren and blue lights and overtook the car that was ahead of him, which was in the process of pulling to the side of the road. The deputy moved to the right side of the road and attempted to make a U-turn on Route 302 when a vehicle driven by Amber Sprinkle, 22, of Bridgton collided with the driver’s side of his cruiser.

The side-curtain air bag in the cruiser deployed. Neither driver was hurt. There were no passengers.

O’Leary said Sprinkle indicated at the scene that she thought Chicoine was pulling to the right in order to make a routine traffic stop at the side of the road and was surprised when the cruiser then pulled out into traffic. O’Leary said each car was traveling at “very low speed” when the collision took place.

When asked who was at fault, Capt. Don Goulet said Chicoine “was more at fault than she was,” but both drivers share “dual fault” for the collision. Goulet said Sprinkle should have yielded the right of way since Maine law requires drivers to pull over and stop when an emergency vehicle activates its lights and sirens. But the deputy was also at fault, Goulet said, since the accident probably could have been prevented had Chicoine been following the “normal rules of the road” and better indicated his intention of pulling a U-turn in the busy roadway.

Despite the low speeds, O’Leary said the cruiser sustained $5,000 worth of damage and Sprinkle’s 1985 Toyota Corolla was totaled. In addition to having her car totaled in the accident, Sprinkle was cited for not having auto insurance.

Goulet said the county’s insurance company will examine what caused the accident to determine fault as well as which party is responsible for damages.