GORHAM GORE, Maine – A Border Patrol agent working in western Maine was ejected from the all-terrain vehicle (ATV) he was operating on the afternoon of July 29. The accident brought a response from multiple Border Patrol Stations as well as the Maine Warden Service and Jackman Fire/Rescue.
Immediately following the accident, the injured agent’s partner, who was operating a separate ATV, was able to make a call for assistance and stabilize his partner’s injuries. Despite the remote location of the accident, responding agents from the Jackman Station were able to arrive on scene within one hour of the first call. Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) from the Rangeley Border Patrol Station also responded to the crash site.
“Responding to assistance calls is something we do on a regular basis,” said Jason D. Owens, Chief Patrol Agent of the Border Patrol in Maine. “When it hits so close to home, when one of our own agents is the injured party, it really makes us thankful for the training, equipment we have available and for the first-rate response from our local partners who respond quickly to calls for assistance.”
The responding agents were able to further stabilize the injured man and transport him to a waiting ambulance. The injured agent was then brought to the Jackman Health Clinic for assessment and treatment before being transferred to Eastern Maine Medical Center via Air Ambulance. The agent was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.
“We are fortunate to have a robust medical response program here in Maine and those skills routinely make a difference in the communities we work in every day,” said Owens. “The agent is now under medical care in Bangor so we have shifted our focus to providing support to him and his family during his recovery.”
Border Patrol agents routinely patrol some of the most remote and rugged terrain in the border areas of Maine. To accomplish their mission of securing the border between the lawful ports of entry, agents utilize All-Terrain Vehicles, Utility Terrain Vehicles, and foot patrols.
“I wish to thank the men and women of the Rangeley and Jackman Border Patrol Stations as well as our partners from the Maine Warden Service, Jackman Fire/Rescue Service, and the medical professionals who treated our agent today,” said Owens.
The Border Patrol agent remains hospitalized. U.S. Border Patrol is cooperating with the Maine Warden Service as they investigate the crash.