Bethel man escapes major injury in fiery crash

Apr. 7—BETHEL — A Bethel man walked away with minor injuries Tuesday morning after his pickup truck went off Intervale Road, struck a utility pole and burst into flames.

Aaron Crockett, 50, told investigators he was driving a 2000 Ford super-duty pickup truck when he looked down for a moment and drove off the road, Oxford County Sheriff's Chief Deputy James Urquhart said in a news release.

The accident in the area of 1005 Intervale Road happened at 6:48 a.m. and caused wires to detach from the utility pole. The truck burst into flames and is a total loss, Urquhart said.

Deputies from the Sheriff's Office were assisted by the Bethel Fire Department, Bethel Rescue and Central Maine Power.

Sheriff's Deputy Zane Loper struck a deer while responding to the accident several miles south of the scene, Urquhart said. Loper was not injured, but the 2020 Chevrolet Tahoe cruiser had an an estimated $3,500 in damage.