LIVERMORE FALLS — A Maine State Police trooper whose cruiser was struck by an empty log truck on snow-covered Route 133 on Wednesday escaped serious injury.

Trooper Robert Cejka of Brunswick was trapped in his cruiser as he waited for police and firefighters to free him. 

Amber Richards, 17, of Lewiston, whom Cejka had stopped to help, stood by with a friend, state police Sgt. Shawn Currie said.

Richards was standing outside her car, which had slid off the road, and saw the out-of-control truck approaching, Maine Public Safety spokesman Stephen McCausland said in a news release. She ran into nearby woods to escape the impending crash. Her car was damaged in the crash, but she was not hurt.

The empty log truck, owned and operated by Edwin Tillson of Sidney, was headed southwest toward Wayne when Tillson lost control he drove down a hill and struck the rear of the cruiser, Currie said.

Tillson was not injured, McCausland said.

Cejka was returning from a training session with his dog, Charlie, in the back of the cruiser when the accident occurred at about 3:30 p.m. Charlie could be seen through the window of the cruiser as a nurse who was passing by tended to Cejka. The lights in the back window of the cruiser still flashed blue, even though the rear-end was crushed.

Livermore Falls firefighters used hydraulic tools to cut away the door from the cruiser to free Cejka. State Police Trooper Sam Tlumac could be heard talking to him.

Cejka was removed from the cruiser, placed on a stretcher and rolled to a NorthStar Emergency Services ambulance. He was taken to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston with injuries described as minor, McCausland said.

Cejka’s dog was not seriously injured and was taken to a veterinarian to be checked, McCausland said.

A state plow truck made a pass across the road to clear some of the heavy, wet snow that continued to fall.

Maine State Police Trooper Aaron Turcotte set up his gear to reconstruct the accident with fellow police.

dperry@sunjournal.com