Beloved Caribou Firefighter and Captain Fatal Casualty in Motor Vehicle Accident

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine (WAGM) -The Caribou Fire and police departments have confirmed the identity of the fatality in a motor vehicle accident Thursday afternoon on Route one from the intersection of Main Street to the Intersection of Fort Street. The accident tragically claimed the life of beloved Duty Crew 3 Captain, Daniel Raymond. The Caribou Fire Department put out a statement via social media Friday morning stating quote, “The members of the Caribou Fire and Ambulance Department are sadden to announce the unexpected and tragic passing of current Duty Crew 3 Captain, Daniel Raymond. The statement went onto say “Our Department, the City of Caribou and the entire surrounding area as a whole, has suffered a great loss. We ask the members of the public to respect his and other affected Families privacy at this time. Firefighters never die, they just burn forever in the hearts of the people whose lives they saved.” Newssource 8 spoke to a member of the Caribou Fire Department who says this loss is truly great as the department is a close knit family. They say there has been an outpouring of support from the community. The Maine State Police, The Aroostook County Sheriff’s Office, Presque Isle, Fort Fairfield and Caribou Police Departments all responded to more than half a dozen accidents Thursday. Newssource 8 will continue to follow this story.

UPDATE: On Thursday, March 23rd at approximately 2:10 P.M. The Caribou Police Department responded to a fatal motor vehicle accident on US 1 between Caribou and Presque Isle. Fifty-seven-year-old Daniel Raymond of Caribou was travelling South operating a 2004 Pontiac Vibe. Thirty-seven-year-old Vincent Smith of Wamego, Kansas was traveling North operating a 2017 Freightliner box truck when he lost control of the vehicle because of road conditions, swerving into the Southbound lane striking Mr. Raymond’s vehicle. Both vehicles ended up off the road in the Southbound lane. Mr. Raymond was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Mr. Smith was transported to Cary Medical Center by Caribou Fire and Ambulance and was later released without injuries. Mr. Raymond was a Captain with the Caribou Fire and Ambulance Department and was an active member for 28 years. The accident is currently being investigated by Sgt. Mark Gahagan, Officer Kyle Scott and Officer Amanda Baker. The Caribou Police Department was assisted by Caribou Fire and Ambulance, Maine State Police, Aroostook County Sheriff, Presque Isle Police Department and the MSDOT. The crash is being reconstructed by Sgt. Kyle White of the Presque Isle Police Department.