SEARSMONT — Waldo County Sheriff deputies and other first responders spent this morning, July 31, searching for a man whose motorcycle landed in a ditch on Route 173. The driver had called 911 at 9:22 a.m. from the side of the road, saying he was suffering significant bleeding. He was, however, unable to narrow down his location. 

Nicholas Light, 25, of Searsmont, had been traveling alone on 173 — the Lincolnville Road — when the accident occurred and he went off the road a few miles from the Lincolnville town line and near the Crie Road.

Injured, the man was nonetheless able to pull out his cellphone and call for help. He reported to Waldo County Regional Communications Center that he was hurt and had lost his helmet.

“It was a struggle to find him,” said Waldo County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Jeffery Trafton.

Deputies eventually did find him after a cellphone tower pinged the man’s location within a certain range near the Searsmont town line. 

Deputy John McEwen found Light and used a tourniquet to stop the bleeding on Light’s leg.

The damaged motorcycle, a 2002 Honda CBR 600, was found in the woods near to where he was lying.

Light was subsequently airlifted to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor.

Trafton said the ability of cellular technology to help locate people via cellphones has improved over the last five years, depending on the phone company, its service and the location of towers.

Searsmont Fire Department and ambulance responded, as did Belfast ambulance. LifeFlight has transported the man to EMMC.

Deputies McEwen and Benjamin Seekins continue to investigate the cause of the accident.

Editorial Director Lynda Clancy can be reached at lyndaclancy@penbaypilot.com; 207-706-6657