CLINTON, Maine — A 66-year-old man from Clinton died Tuesday after the vehicle he was driving went off the road and into water that eventually froze.
Gene Rose died in the vehicle before first responders were able to get to him, according to a release from Clinton police.
The crash happened around 12:15 p.m. on Hill Road. When Clinton officials got to the scene, they found a vehicle off the road, upside down, and in water, officials said.
"When we arrived we realized that the vehicle had been in the water quite a while," the release stated. "The ice had formed around the vehicle and was quite thick."
Fairfield Fire and Rescue's cold water rescue team was called to try to see if anyone was in the vehicle because, although the ice was partially cleared away, it wasn’t possible to see if anybody was in the vehicle, police said.
Dostie's Towing arrived with a heavy wrecker and, with the help of the cold water rescue team, lifted the vehicle out of the water. It was then that officials found Rose dead inside the vehicle, the release stated.
Clinton police said they are seeking information about the crash, including Rose's activity leading up to it. Police said they don’t believe at this time that anyone else was involved, but they are hoping to figure out a timeline of what happened.
Police ask that anyone with information call the Waterville Communications Center and ask for Officer Joshua Chouinard.
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