A motorcyclist was seriously injured in Whitefield Sunday night when he tried to miss a deer, but struck it and his wife’s motorcycle, authorities said.

Neither Kenneth Black, 50, nor his wife Laurie Black, 47, of Gardiner was wearing a helmet when they were riding separate motorcycles south on Mills Road on Sept. 28, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Lt. Rand Maker states in a press release Monday.

“A preliminary investigation has determined that ... they slowed to avoid a deer in the roadway that apparently had just been struck. As Mr. and Mrs. Black approached the deer the animal moved into the path they had both taken to avoid the injured animal. Ms. Black was able to control her motorcycle but Mr. Black lost control of his motorcycle striking both the deer and the motorcycle being operated by his wife,” the release states.

Kenneth Black appeared to have a serious head injury; Laurie Black complained of head and knee pain but declined medical transport, according to the release.

Delta Ambulance took her husband to Whitefield Elementary School to be put onto a LifeFlight helicopter bound for Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston.

Whitefield fire and rescue crews went to the crash scene. Jefferson Fire Department provided mutual aid at the school, where the helicopter landed, Whitefield Fire Chief Scott Higgins said Sunday.

The crash, near 139 Mills Road, was reported at 7:27 p.m., the release states. Mills Road, or Route 218, remained closed for about two hours while deputies and emergency crews worked at the scene.