PHIPPSBURG

No injuries were reported after a three-vehicle collision on Route 209 in Phippsburg near 11 a.m. Thursday involving a street sweeper, according to Phippsburg Police.

“There was a street sweeper heading south in the breakdown lane of 209 cleaning it, and going about five miles per hour,” said Phippsburg Police Chief John Skroski. “It was just passed the Basin Road but before you get to the elementary school, and there was a black Ford Escape that was heading southbound toward that street sweeper. For whatever reason, he didn’t see the street sweeper and he ran into driver’s side rear corner of the street sweeper.”

The vehicle then catapulted into the opposite lane where it struck a Ford F-350 heading northbound, which went into the guardrails, according to Skroski.

“It was quite a collision,” said Skroski. “It’s passenger side front was filleted right open, the fender ripped right off and the door split right apart — literally like a sardine can.”

“The Escape was totaled,” he added.

The Phippsburg Fire Department helped with traffic and debris cleanup as well.

According to police, the driver of the 2017 black Ford Escape was Peter Townsend, an 84-year-old Phippsburg resident. The 2002 FRHT street sweeper was operated by Ryan Prussner, 30, of Yarmouth, and the 2015 Ford F-350 was driven by Frederick Libby, 70, of Phippsburg, said Skroski.

The street sweeper was contracted by Maine Department of Transportation.

nstrout@timesrecord.com