BELFAST - A pair of motor vehicle accidents Wednesday afternoon kept local emergency crews busy. Police said there were no life-threatening injuries despite damage to the vehicles that suggested it could have been worse.

Swan Lake Avenue 

A driver with three children in the back seat was stopped on Swan Lake Avenue when her car was rear ended by a distracted driver and pushed into oncoming traffic where it collided with a third vehicle. 

According to police, Jennifer Faulkingham of Belfast was was preparing to make a left-hand turn into her driveway at 193 Swan Lake Avenue when her car was struck from behind by a pickup driven by Joseph Benny of Monroe. Faulkingham had three children in the car, ages 8, 6 and 5.

Officer Rick Smith of the Belfast Police Department said Benney later reported that he had been looking at a couple walking with a stroller on the side of the road and did not notice that the car in front of him had stopped.

“He hit her before he put his brakes on,” Smith said.

The impact pushed Faulkingham’s car into oncoming traffic where it collided with an SUV driven by David Alley of Lincolnville.

Smith said, all of the drivers were wearing seat belts. 

At the scene, Faulkingham complained of pain in her chest, neck and shoulder, he said. Two of the children were “shook up” and one was transported to Waldo County General Hospital with non life threatening injuries. All three children were in car seats, and Smith said they likely avoided more serious injuries because of it.

“Literally, the back of the car ... there was no trunk,” he said. “It went right into where the kids were sitting.”

Smith said Alley’s forearm appeared to have been broken in the crash and Benney was reportedly uninjured.

Benney was issued a summons for distracted driving, a traffic infraction. Smith said, the circumstances are still under investigation and the results could prompt additional charges.

When first responders were preparing to leave Swan Lake Avenue, they were called to another accident across town.

Northport Avenue

A driver pulling out of the parking lot of the Waldo County General Hospital Annex crashed into a vehicle traveling north on Northport Avenue.

According to police, Lois Donaghy, 64, of Belfast was attempting to make a left turn out of the parking lot when her SUV collided with a pickup traveling in the northbound lane on Northport Avenue. The pickup was driven by Kenneth Ryan, 67, of Lincolnville. There were no passengers in either vehicle.

Belfast Police Officer Rick Smith said Donaghy reported pain in her hip and leg, and Ryan suffered minor injuries from his airbag and had a cut on his hand. Both were transported to WCGH, Smith said.

Donaghy was given a summons for failing to yield the right-of-way.

Traffic was diverted through the hospital parking lot for roughly a half-hour while the accident was scene was cleared.

Ethan Andrews can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com