2 experts testify about physics of fatal crash

DOVER-FOXCROFT – The physics behind movement that occurs in an automobile accident and the subsequent injuries occupants suffer dominated the testimony provided Wednesday in a double vehicular manslaughter trial in Piscataquis County Superior Court.

The state claims that Heath St. Louis, 23, of Abbot was behind the wheel of a Mazda MZ6 that crashed in October 2004 on North Road in Sebec. Elias Russell, 22, of Parkman and Drake Martell, 21, of Sangerville, who were riding with St. Louis, died in the accident. St. Louis was indicted on two counts of manslaughter.

St. Louis, who authorities said was intoxicated and suffered minor abrasions, was outside the vehicle when police arrived. He claimed he had fallen asleep in the back seat and was thrown from the vehicle when the accident occurred.

Piscataquis County District Attorney R. Christopher Almy said evidence would show that both Russell and Martell died with their seat belts intact, and that St. Louis was driving the vehicle owned by Russell. A reconstruction of the accident revealed that the vehicle was traveling in excess of 85 miles per hour before the crash.

There is no dispute that Martell was seated in the front passenger seat of the vehicle.

Dr. Edward David of Holden, deputy chief medical examiner, testified for the prosecution Wednesday that based on the physical evidence he was provided, the abrasions St. Louis received were consistent with someone who was in the front seat. He said an abrasion on the neck was not a seat belt injury but resulted from contact with a head restraint and that the abrasions on his legs were consistent with striking the dashboard.

Police said Russell’s body was found strapped in by a seat belt in the right rear side of the vehicle. His right arm was broken. For Russell to have broken his right forearm in the accident, he would have been on the right side of the vehicle, according to David.

A second expert witness, however, testified that from the physical evidence he received, he believed Russell was driving the vehicle. Dr. Thomas Bohan of Portland testified it was probable that force drove Russell into the back seat and under a belted lap belt. He also said the pattern of the abrasion on St. Louis’ neck came from a seat belt that he was wearing in the back seat.

Neither David nor Bohan went to the accident scene, nor did they view the actual vehicle which was later released to an insurance company and destroyed.

Both relied on photographs and information provided by police and first responders, along with their own findings.

Dr. Bohan said he took the 6-foot 1-inch St. Louis and had him sit behind the driver’s seat in a replica vehicle and found that he could not engage the clutch and couldn’t turn the steering wheel because of his size.

Bohan noted that it would have been helpful if tests had been done on a blood patch found in the car, shoe prints on the brake and the occupants’ clothing for powder residue from the deployed air bags.

The first person on the scene, Edmond Gosselin of Brewer, testified that he saw St. Louis in the roadway and noticed the smoking car among debris. St. Louis was incoherent and covered in blood, he said. Gosselin said he turned the ignition off in the crumpled vehicle, fearful that it would explode, helped St. Louis get into his back seat, and went to the closest home to call 911 since he had no reception on his cellular telephone.

Gosselin said some of the photographs shown to him during the trial were not photographed the way he recalled. Some depicted Russell after his seat belt had been removed by police to learn his identity.

The trial will resume today when St. Louis is expected to take the stand.