March 28, 2024
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Caribou collision inquiry continues

CARIBOU – Police are continuing the investigation of a three-car collision on Saturday that caused the death of a local man.

Arnold Cochran, 71, died when his vehicle was struck by an oncoming pickup truck. Cochran’s southbound car was pushed into the northbound lane of Route 161 after it was rear-ended by a van loaded with 11 migrant workers.

The van was driven by Rolando Barajas, 23, of Arkansas. The occupants of the van were not injured in the accident, which occurred at approximately 12:36 p.m., according to Officer Chris Thornton of the Caribou Police Department.

The migrant workers, who are from Mexico, have been in Maine since June and were working for Irving in Fort Kent, Thornton said.

They are in the United States with six-month visas, the officer said.

The van was registered by Trees Are Us Forestry of Warren, Ark.

Two of three occupants of the pickup truck involved in the accident were airlifted to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor for treatment of their injuries.

Eric Brown, 21, of Perham and his father, Steve Brown, 44, of Caribou, who was driving the truck, have been discharged from the medical center, according to a hospital official.

Eric Brown’s 7-year-old son, who also was a passenger in the truck, was not injured in the accident.

Thornton said Monday that no arrests had been made and that no charges had been filed in the case.

Plourde was finishing his reconstruction report of the accident Monday.

Correction: A slightly reworded version of the last paragraph of this article ran in the Final edition.

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