‘Fight or flight:’ Hair stylist rushes to save co-worker after vehicle crashes into salon
By Ronnie Parrillo
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LEWISTON, Maine (WMTW) — A Maine hair stylist is being hailed as a hero after she stepped up to help a co-worker who was seriously injured when a vehicle smashed through the front of a Lewiston salon on Saturday.
The Lewiston Police Department said a Ford F-150 and a Jeep Wrangler collided as the result of an improper lane change on Lisbon Street, which caused the Jeep to spin and crash through the side of JD Cuts Family Salon.
Police said several people inside the salon were transported to local hospitals to be treated for injuries. In a Facebook post, JD Cuts said nail technician Jessica White was severely hurt, and that one of White’s clients was also injured in the crash.
Samantha La Gasse, a JD Cuts hair stylist, said she rushed to White’s aid after the nail technician wound up pinned as a result of the crash.
“My first priority was to make sure she was OK and I didn’t have any other thought. It was kind of fight or flight,” La Gasse said. “I had to push the building up off of her and take the place of a firefighter who was holding it, and kind of just be the support of that building.”
In a post on her professional Facebook page, White said she suffered breaks to several ribs and her spine, as well as a punctured lung.
La Gasse, who was one of four people in the salon when the crash happened, said she is thankful the situation was not worse.
“I was so glad I was there. Sometimes we work alone, so having someone else in that salon at the same time is probably something that was a blessing in disguise — even though not anybody wants to be a part of it,” La Gasse said.
La Gasse also raised concerns about speeding vehicles on Lisbon Street. There is a posted speed limit of 30 mph in front of the salon, but La Gasse said she often sees cars going a lot faster.
“Probably one of the reasons I was able to know what was coming through that building is because we’ve thought about it happening before,” she said.
La Gasse said the stylists are looking for a temporary place to do business, but they hope to return to the Lisbon Street storefront soon.
In a follow-up post on her professional page, White indicated she was told it will take her six to 12 weeks to recover from her injuries.
Lewiston police said the F-150 involved in the crash wound up striking a utility pole after colliding with the Jeep. The driver of the truck, 70-year-old Minot resident Lawrence Williams, was pronounced dead at the scene.
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