China, Maine Crash Sends Man on Lawn Mower to Hospital

A local man was hospitalized Tuesday afternoon after being struck by a car while crossing Old Waterville Road on a riding lawnmower, authorities said.

According to the Kennebec Journal, the crash occurred around 4 p.m. near the intersection with Morrill Road. According to the Kennebec County Sheriff’s Office, a 17-year-old driving a 2013 Ford Focus came over a small rise in the road and was unable to avoid hitting the lawnmower. The teenager, whose name has not been released, was issued a summons for operating without a license.

The man on the mower, Steven M. Hadsell, 65, of China, sustained injuries to his shoulder and collarbone, along with scrapes on his back. He was transported to a local hospital by Delta Ambulance, the paper reported.

Witnesses at the scene said Hadsell had been mowing around his mailbox and was in the process of crossing the road when the collision occurred. His fiancée, Annette Campbell, said she heard the crash from their home and found him ejected from the mower outside, the KJ indicated.

Both the car and the lawnmower were damaged in the crash. The Kennebec County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to investigate, and no further details about Hadsell’s condition have been released at this time.

Authorities reminded residents to be cautious on local roads, especially in areas where farm and yard equipment may be crossing.