December 23, 2024
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‘Wake-up Call’ lost on teens in crash Students in accident were driving to party

CHESTER – A 16-year-old Winn girl who miraculously survived an accident caused by her driving 100 mph last week was headed to a drinking party when the accident occurred – hours after attending a “Wake-up Call” program highlighting the perils of underage drinking and driving, state police said Thursday.

It’s fortunate, state police said, that the driver of the Chevy Cavalier, who was not drinking at the time, and her six juvenile passengers lived through her losing control of the car and rolling it over several times on April 28 on Pea Ridge Road near the Chester Animal Hospital.

“They are very, very lucky that they survived a 100 mile per hour crash,” Maine State Police Trooper Thomas Fiske said Thursday. “The car was totaled, obviously.”

The driver, a student at Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln, earlier that day had attended a special school program called Wake-up Call, a simulation in which emergency service workers, students and parents acted the range of parts played when teenagers drink, drive and get into fatal motor vehicle accidents, Fiske said.

The Cavalier was headed for the party at a gravel pit at the end of Pea Ridge Road when the accident occurred at about 9:20 p.m., Fiske said. He did not know whether the passengers, who were not wearing seat belts, were MA students or had attended Wake-up Call that day.

The driver suffered a concussion and several cuts. She was admitted to Penobscot Valley Hospital in Lincoln, Fiske said. He did not know when she was released. She will face several charges within the next several weeks, Fiske said.

Her name is not being released because she is a juvenile.

Her passengers, who are from the Lincoln area, also would probably face charges, he said.

The accident, and a tip that teens from East Millinocket and Medway would be using the gravel pit the next night, led to the arrest of nine people early Sunday morning, Trooper Jared Stedman said.

Penobscot County Deputy Sheriff Michael Knights and troopers Fiske, Marc Poulin and Stedman scattered the party of about 20 to 30 people when they arrived at the pit shortly after 11 p.m. Saturday, Fiske said.

“When we pulled in, they had a pretty good bonfire going,” Stedman said. “There were a few people playing basketball. A lot of them ran over the [gravel pit] banks when we got there.”

Jeffrey Diagle, 18, of Lincoln was charged with violation of bail conditions and illegal possession of liquor by a minor. Also charged with illegal possession of liquor by a minor were Bradley Barker, 18, of East Millinocket; Corey Day, 20, of East Millinocket; and Rudy Petrin, 18, of Medway, Stedman said. Five juveniles were charged and their parents were notified.

All are due in Lincoln District Court on June 6.

Both incidents come in the wake of a series of forums held statewide over the last two months by state, municipal and county law enforcement officials, education and social workers targeting underage drinking.

The Lincoln Lakes region’s forum was held at the academy on April 13. Health officials held the forums to help prevent teenage alcoholism and the crime that frequently results.

State and local police are monitoring the isolated spots where teen drinking parties occur, Fiske said.

“They move around, but you try to keep your thumb on them as best you can,” he said.

“We want to get the message out there that we know that this time of year there’s a lot of illegal drinking going on,” Stedman said, “and we want to prohibit it.”


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