Witness to accident confirms details

CORNVILLE – An accident witness and a police accident reconstructionist confirm what happened just before two vehicles collided in May on the East Ridge Road, killing three people and injuring a fourth, state police said Friday.

Lt. Dale Lancaster of the Maine State Police Troop C in Skowhegan said Ralph Holt, 21, and Zachariah Holt, 14, both of Cornville and Jose Holliday, 21, of Waterville were killed on May 27. Marc Courtemanche, 29, of Athens survived the crash.

Courtemanche was driving a 2004 Jeep and Ralph Holt was driving a 1995 Suzuki Sidekick. Police could not determine whether the Holts wore seat belts, Courtemanche wore a seat belt, and Holliday, who was thrown from the vehicle, was not wearing one, according to the reports.

There was confusion at the time of the accident about the sequence of events, but a witness came forward and an accident reconstruction expert confirmed his story, said Lancaster. Police now believe the following occurred:

A motorcyclist was traveling north on East Ridge Road. Ralph Holt tried to pass the motorcyclist and collided with Courtemanche’s vehicle in the southbound lane, according to the report. The motorcyclist stayed at the scene until rescue vehicles came, but had left by the time police arrived. Police issued a plea for the motorcyclist to contact the investigator, which he did, and a reconstructionist confirmed his story, said Lancaster.

He said police appreciated the motorcyclist coming forward.

The investigation into the accident is complete, but the District Attorney’s Office will review it for possible charges against Courtemanche, said Lancaster. Courtemanche has “an extensive driving history,” and carries a provisional driver’s license that prohibits him to drive with alcohol in his system. A routine blood test taken after the accident detected alcohol, according to Lancaster.