Morning Sentinel
Police take new look at KMD accident
By DOUG HARLOW
Staff Writer Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel 12/20/2007

OAKLAND -- Police said Wednesday they have new information possibly linking a second vehicle to an accident involving a black 1992 Honda Civic that went out of control Tuesday morning and hit another vehicle head-on on Kennedy Memorial Drive.

Seven people, five of them Messalonskee High School students, were injured in a two-car crash that closed KMD for about 45 minutes.

Police at the time said excessive speed appeared to be a factor in the crash and that a criminal charge against the driver of the Honda could be forthcoming. As of Wednesday no charges had been brought.

"It's come to our attention that there may have been another vehicle and that is under investigation," Oakland Police Capt. Rick Stubbert said. "Additional charges could come."

He said Officer Steve Corbett is conducting the investigation.

"We know who to talk to, we just have to do all the interviews," Stubbert said. "It's all scheduled; we'll finish it up tomorrow."

Police are not naming the 17-year-old driver of the Honda because he is a juvenile who is possibly facing criminal charges.

Passengers in the Honda were: Mitchell Wight, 18, of Belgrade; Nicholas Workman, 17, of Oakland; Daniel Witham, 17, of Smithfield; and Benjamin Pooler, 17, of Belgrade.

Stubbert said Pooler and Wight were taken to the hospital by ambulance.

The windshield of the Honda was blown into the car by the force of the collision, the roof bent by the impact. Both cars had extensive front-end damage.

The Honda reportedly struck a white 2005 Ford Taurus, driven by Maureen Blodgett, 57, of Benton. She and her husband, Terry Blodgett, also 57, were taken to a hospital by Delta Ambulance.

Four of the injured were taken to Waterville hospitals in ambulances. Three others were taken to the hospital by their parents, according to Oakland firefighters at the scene.

"Nobody was seriously injured," Stubbert said.

Stubbert said five high school students were in the Honda Civic heading toward Waterville when the driver apparently lost control on sand or gravel left over from Sunday's snowstorm.

"The black vehicle was traveling toward Waterville at a high rate of speed and he lost control of the vehicle, did a 360 and spun into the oncoming lane, where it made contact with the white vehicle -- they hit head-on," Stubbert said. "The driver said he overcompensated and went into a spin after hitting some loose gravel."

Blodgett's car was traveling in the other direction, toward Oakland, according to Stubbert.

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Ashley Michaud of Smithfield, ME
Dec 22, 2007 9:43 PM
To JohnnyRoxx:

Now, Before you go jumping to conclusions, lets get the facts straight:
no cell phones involved
no music
it was 45 mph zone
like you have never played a racing game in your life

Then again....you ARE WRONG!!!
don't post things unless you r totally sure they are true ok?????
then again...i might just have a heart and care about people!report abuse
des of oakland, ME
Dec 20, 2007 11:48 PM
wow, why do so many ppl have problems against messalonskee? its a great school, this is not about the school though, its about the accident...have any of you guys heard "boys will be boys" we all make mistakes, and the driver is taking responsibility, every one is ok now. for those of you that were bashing the teens, you were one once, how much stupid crap did you do?report abuse
Rosa McGrail of Solon, ME
Dec 20, 2007 9:55 PM
Jon Smith think about it, I may live in the middle of nowhere now but Class A = Class A (did not always live in Solon). Really what more needs to be said other than you are not immune to death. Live and love life set examlples for your peers and make risky behaviors to a minimum. In other words die skydiving, skiing, scuba diving etc, but don't make excuses for idiotic and do not put your parent's through what every parent fears when their child leaves the home. In other words call mama often tell her you love her and if you ever get in a situation where it could be dangerous she would prefer a call from you no matter than a call from the police. Again live it, love it, but cherish it. It is unforgiving.report abuse
Jessica Beauchesne of belgrade, ME
Dec 20, 2007 9:32 PM
umm first of all "bubba" you dont know what you are talking about what ever car you see racing up kmd is not this car that crashed there is no "ten cent coffee can exhaust on the rear of the car" so get your facts straight! and how from a window in a building on kmd could you see him everyday? and know he was racing or speeding... you cant so therefore you are just finding excuses to back yourself upreport abuse
reader of Portland-Boston, ME
Dec 20, 2007 9:15 PM
I heard from a friend who heard from a friend the public school districts up in Central Maine are no longer holding students accountable for being absent from school as long as they have at least C grades. Is that true? And if so, Maine is really dumbing the kids in the state.report abuse
reader of Portland-Boston, ME
Dec 20, 2007 9:14 PM
I heard from a friend who heard from a friend the public school districts up in Central Maine are no longing students accountable for being absent from school as long as they have at least C grades. Is that true? And if so, Maine is really dumbing the kids in the state.report abuse
Jon Smith of Belgrade, ME
Dec 20, 2007 9:11 PM
Chipit,RosaMcGrail

The reason you think that Messalonskee is a bad sports venue is becasue you live in the middle of nowhere. Get a llife, all highschool sports venues are just as bad. Stop calling out messalonskee just because the teens were from there. Finally stopp saying the kids need to have priveleges taken away, the school will never do it mainly because of the lack of room in the cafeteria to have all 900+ students eating at one time. Everyone needs to just stop blaming teens for bad driving when everyone does it.Every day i see people(adults) driving horribly like using cell phones, speeding, and changing lanes badly. Just because of this one case of bad driving, People are now labeling all teens in this category. Don't; Most teens actually do follow the rules of the road, there are just the slim few that don't. Even if you think you are bringing some serious problem up, your not. Everyone drives badly in one way or another, no ones perfect. Believe it or not, people actually have accidents.report abuse
sandwich of oakland, ME
Dec 20, 2007 8:58 PM
chipit,
i will say this to u and u alone. U DONT KNOW THESE PEOPLE AND I CAN TELL U ONE THING AND THAT IS THAT THEY R NOT BRATS THEY R NICE PEOPLE WHO R LIVING LIFE, SO WHY DO U HAVE TO BE SO RUDE. the seniors earn the privlages and if they do anything at the school then they r taken away. so i think that before u judge people and call them brats, u should probably learn the whole story and actually know what the people r like. there have been many accidents this week and the one one that people are making a big deal about is this one just because they were teens. so all i have to say is shove it!!!!report abuse
Rosa McGrail of Solon, ME
Dec 20, 2007 7:52 PM
I would just like to say, yet a little off topic, but you will get the point. I have three sons who were three season athletes. I have to tell you the worst venue for a sporting event has always been Messalonskee in my experience, filled with arrogance, attitude, and ignorance. So I guess why would we expect anything different from the children who have posted. There is no accountability, no responsibilty just excuses. Please really consider the fact that death does not stereotype nor discriminate. Slow down, play safe, take the family dog with you. You only show off the dog (it's a babe magnet) you never show off with the dog. Kid at Heart, I showed some of yesterday posting to my nineteen year old, the previous speeder he found you humerous and witty yet to the point. He also found some of the other comments entertaining such as those from the student's. Hug them often, hug them tight, always remind them "you'll love them forever, you'll like them for always, and as long as your living your baby they'll be".report abuse
Chipit of Waterville, ME
Dec 20, 2007 6:41 PM
senior priveleges?????? What the hell does that mean? These kids are not responsible enough to be behind the wheel of a car. If the were they this would never have happened. At what point do you parents take responsibility for your childrens lack of respect for the law and safety of other people on the roads. OH WAIT they are seniors and have senior priveleges. Give me a break. Get the imature brats off the roads. Not all 17 year olds are mature enough or responsable enough to be driving, let alone driving on KMD. As far as they were going to lunch, Doesn't the school have a cafatiera?? Close the campus before somone else in that school gets killed. We have already lost too many of our kids in car crashes.report abuse

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