Motel owner, photog killed in Cape crash
Third victim critically injured
A man who designed and built motels was killed and his wife critically injured in a horrific two-car crash on Cape Cod late Saturday night that also claimed the life of an aspiring young West Yarmouth photographer, police said.
The dead were identified by Yarmouth police as Thomas Ardan, 56, of Charlton and Caroline A. Liberty, 22, of West Yarmouth.
Yarmouth police Detective Michael Zontini told the Herald that Ardan’s wife and business partner Mary, 60, suffered life-threatening injuries and was undergoing her second surgery yesterday afternoon at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
Zontini said poor weather conditions may have been a factor in the tragedy.
“It’s going to be reconstructed,” Zontini said. “Nothing has led me to believe there was any kind of impairment. We’re just trying to serve the families and give them closure with the right answers.”
He said the Ardans own the Windrift Motel in West Yarmouth. Liberty, meanwhile, was launching a business of her own: Caroline Liberty Photography.
Police said Mary Ardan was driving the couple’s 2012 Audi Q7 when it collided head-on on Buck Island Road with a 2004 GMC Sierra driven by Liberty.
The Ardans ran and operated Marmaris Corp. out of their Charlton home, a company that develops motel properties, according to public filings with the secretary of state’s office.
The couple also own a home in Yarmouth Port less than 5 miles from the crash site.
Liberty died less than 3 miles from her home.
Police said the fatal collision occurred shortly after 10:30 p.m. near the entrance to the Halcyon Condominiums complex on Buck Island Road.
Zontini said investigators were still working out where everyone was coming from at the time.
The victims’ families could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Zontini said from what he’s learned of Liberty, she was a “nice, never-in-trouble” young woman with a bright future.
Police ask anyone who witnessed the collision or knows anything of events leading up to it to contact Zontini at either 508-7750445, Ext. 2129, or by email at mzontini@yarmouth.ma.us.