OXFORD — Five people were taken to local hospitals after a serious traffic accident on Route 121 on Sunday afternoon.

Oxford police Lt. Michael Ward said excessive speed and icy conditions caused the head-on crash. Police were forced to close a section of Route 121 for almost two hours to extricate people from their vehicles and clean up after the accident. 

According to Ward, David Berry, 47, of Andover was driving his white 1999 Chevy Cavalier west on Route 121 when the vehicle slid on the icy road, crossed the center line and smashed into a 2002 Jeep Liberty driven by Tara Foster, 39, of Oxford. 

Berry and a passenger, Barbara Holt, 48, were trapped in the Chevy and had to be extricated by members of the Oxford Fire Department, Ward said. Berry suffered at least one broken limb in the accident and Holt complained of back pain, Ward said. Both were taken to Central Maine Medical Center by Poland Rescue. 

Tara Foster and two juvenile passengers of the Jeep were taken by Oxford Rescue to Stephens Memorial Hospital in Norway for non-life-threatening injuries, Ward said. Both vehicles were total losses and towed from the scene. 

“It was a serious accident, but I thought it was going to be worse than it turned out,” Ward said. 

Police said Berry was driving too fast for the slick, icy conditions of the road. No charges have been brought in the accident, but it is still under investigation, Ward said. 

pmcguire@sunjournal.com