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Driver passing downed tree in Windham hits sheriff's cruiser, officials say

The driver of the vehicle that hit the cruiser was issued a traffic ticket for failing to maintain control of the vehicle, according to the sheriff's office.

WINDHAM, Maine — The Cumberland County Sheriff's Office is urging drivers to be cautious on the roads during Thursday's nor'easter after it said a driver passing a downed tree in the road struck a sheriff's office cruiser in Windham.

Nobody was injured, the sheriff's office said in a release. It said the crash happened shortly before 8 a.m. as Deputy Danae Durost was traveling eastbound on Roosevelt Trail, near Seacoast Adventure.

The driver of the Jeep Wrangler that hit the cruiser, Irenge Mubonzi, 44, of Scarborough, had used the turning lane to go around the tree and then lost control, hitting the side of the cruiser, the release stated.

RELATED: Thursday snow storm topples multiple trees onto power lines in Westbrook

Mubonzi was issued a traffic ticket for failing to maintain control of the vehicle, according to officials.

At the time of the crash, the Cumberland County Regional Dispatch Center had been fielding hundreds of emergency and non-emergency calls for service in the coverage area, the sheriff's office said, adding most of those calls were for downed trees, downed power lines, and vehicle crashes. 

"During times of inclement weather, planning and preparedness is essential for public safety," the sheriff's office said. "Plan your routes, provide yourself with extra travel time and slow down."

RELATED: April nor'easter: Storm scenes from across Maine

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