The cause of the Norway accident is under investigation.
By Gail Geraghty
Staff Writer

NORWAY – One woman died and two others were in critical condition Tuesday after a car slammed into a tree beside the grounds of the Norway Country Club on Route 118.

Lilian Sowersby, 78, of Stoneham was pronounced dead after being taken by PACE Ambulance to Stephens Memorial Hospital in Norway following the 9:30 a.m. crash.

Sowersby was in the back seat of a Ford two-door car driven by Debra Brown, 42, of Fryeburg, who was transported by LifeFlight to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston. Also taken to CMMC by LifeFlight was Betsy Wilson, 71, of Stoneham, who was traveling in the front passenger seat, said State Police Trooper Kyle Tilsley. As of late Tuesday, a hospital spokesperson said both Wilson and Brown remained in critical condition.

Brown, who was headed toward Norway village, left the pavement and crossed the soft shoulder on her side of the highway before hitting the tree. There were no skid marks evident.

“I do not believe speed was a factor,” Tilsley said. Paris Police Cpl. Mike Dailey is helping to reconstruct the accident. A determination of cause is expected to be made in a few days, Tilsley said.

None of the women were thrown from the car, and Tilsley said he believes all three women were likely wearing seat belts.

It took rescue workers over an hour to remove the roof and driver’s door to extricate Brown. On the Country Club grounds, Norway Police Chief Tim Richards and Sgt. Duffy Ellsworth assisted fire and rescue workers with preparing Wilson for helicopter transport. The Ford was demolished.

Fire and rescue personnel from Paris, Oxford and Norway responded, and traffic was rerouted for around two hours until the scene could be cleared.