BY CRAIG CROSBY

Staff Writer

A Maine State Police trooper with ties to the Winthrop area was recovering at a Lewiston hospital after crashing his cruiser while responding to a report of a fight Friday morning.

Jason Wing was listed in satisfactory condition at Central Maine Medical Center, where he was being treated for head injuries and numerous bruises after his cruiser left the road and struck a large pine tree, said Steve McCausland, spokesman for the Maine Department of Public Safety.

"I saw spoke with him today," said Maj. Dale Lancaster of the Maine State Police.

Wing was the second police officer in as many days to be injured while responding to an emergency. Kennebec County Sheriff's Deputy John Bourque, 32, of Belgrade was injured in a crash with a Chelsea woman on Route 9 Thursday.

Lancaster did not have immediate access to Wing's age or hometown-- a call to Lt. Walter Grzyb at Wing's Troop B was not returned-- but he was 22 when he joined the force after completing instruction at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy in March.

Information provided by state police at the time indicated Wing lived in Auburn.

Friday's crash occurred around 2 a.m. on Route 118 in Waterford. Wing, along with Deputy Joshua Wyman of the Oxford County Sheriff's Department, and two other troopers, were responding to a Fryeburg campground to assist local police trying to break up a large fight, McCausland said.

Fryeburg police, who were able to control the fight, called off the responding officers while they were still in route. As Wyman was returning to his patrol area he found Wing walking along Route 118 near the crash site.

Wyman took Wing to Stephen's Memorial Hospital in Norway, which transferred the trooper to CMMC.

A team of Troopers, led by Grzyb, is investigating the crash, Lancaster said.

It is too early to know why the accident occurred or how fast Wing was traveling, but initial indications are that Wing lost control when the cruiser veered off the road and onto the gravel shoulder, McCausland said.

Wing was wearing a seatbelt.

"We're reconstructing the scene," Lancaster said. "The report is not complete. It will be a while before it is."

Information provided by state police at the time he joined the force indicates Wing grew up in Winthrop and graduated from Lewiston High School in 2003.

He served four years on active duty with the U.S. Marine Corps infantry where his training included Antiterrorism, Advanced Infantry and Advanced Urban Combat during two combat tours in Iraq.

Thursday's crash occurred around 10 a.m. as Bourque attempted to make a quick turn to pursue a stolen car that was reportedly being driven by a 13-year-old girl. Bourque turned into the path of a van being driven by Shirley Chadbourne, 57, of Chelsea.

Chadbourne was taken to CMMC with nonlife-threatening injuries.

The alleged car thief was later caught and arrested.

Craig Crosby--623-3811 Ext. 433

ccrosby@centralmaine.com