Dedham man’s trial involves fatal crash

ELLSWORTH — The state’s case against a 34-year-old Dedham man charged in a 1990 drunken driving vehicular manslaughter case went to trial Wednesday in Hancock County Superior Court.

Represented by Bangor attorney Martha Harris, Joey M. Woodman was indicted nearly two years ago on charges of manslaughter, aggravated assault and aggravated operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor.

Joseph French, a 21-year-old passenger in the rear seat of Woodman’s car, died in the June 2, 1990, accident that occurred at 1:45 a.m. on the Bald Mountain Road in Orland.

Curtis Hutson, 33, of Dedham, a front-seat passenger in Woodman’s car, was severely injured. Police reports indicated that Woodman lost control of his 1979 Pontiac Firebird, and failed to negotiate a left curve. The car left the road and struck several trees before coming to rest. French was thrown from the car and died at the scene of the accident.

Although attorneys in the case have agreed that Woodman’s blood-alcohol level was .07, Steven Juskewitch, an assistant Hancock County district attorney, maintains that nearly 90 minutes elapsed between the time of the accident and the time the blood test was administered.

Based on alcohol retention studies, the prosecutor claimed that if Woodman’s blood-alcohol level had been tested immediately after the accident, the results would have exceeded the .08 minimum threshold for a drunken driving conviction in Maine.

During testimony Wednesday, Sharon Jurgiewich told the jury that she was awakened the night of the crash by Woodman who wanted to call police and ambulance crews from her home, located about two miles from the accident scene.

In response to the prosecutor’s inquiries, Jurgiewich said she believed Woodman had been drinking the evening of the accident because earlier that night he had exhibited an uncharacteristic chatty style of conversation.

“But I didn’t think he was drunk,” she said.

Under cross-examination by Harris, Jurgiewich said that aside from Woodman’s talkative mood, he displayed no visible signs of intoxication.

The trial is scheduled to continue Thursday.