Vehicles driven by Gaylene Rich of Livermore and Trisha Payeur of Livermore Falls lie Wednesday morning on state Route 4 in Jay after a head-on collision. Rich died shortly after the crash and Payeur was listed in critical condition at a Lewiston hospital Wednesday evening, Jay police Cpl. Joseph Sage said. Donna M. Perry/Sun Journal
JAY — The condition of a Livermore Falls woman who was critically injured Wednesday in a two-vehicle fatal crash on state Route 4 has been upgraded to stable, noncritical, according to police Cpl. Joseph Sage.
Trisha Payeur, 41, was taken to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston following the two-vehicle collision. She had been listed in critical condition Wednesday night, according to Sage. She has several injuries, he said.
Gaylene Rich, 69, of Livermore was taken by ambulance to Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington but died before she arrived, Sage said Wednesday.
Rich’s vehicle was heading south on the road and Payeur’s vehicle was heading north.
The circumstances of the crash remain under investigation, Sage said.
Livermore Town Clerk Renda Guild described Rich on Thursday as a hard worker who always had a good attitude and a beautiful smile.
“She is going to be sadly missed,” said Guild, who had known Rich all of her life.
The two played bingo together every Sunday at the AMVETS Hall in Jay, including this past Sunday.
“She was just a beautiful woman. She had a beautiful smile and always had a good attitude,” Guild said. “No matter what was going on she always had a smile. Everybody knew her. When you met her, you never forgot her. She was just a genuine person. She was always good natured, never complained.”
She retired from Victoria Villa Rehabilitation and Living Center in Canton, which is now known as Pinnacle Health and Rehab, Guild said.
“The community here feels the loss. We are sad,” Guild said. “It’s just a huge loss for all of us.”
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