Motorist faces charge in mower driver’s death

SKOWHEGAN – An 18-year-old motorist faces a manslaughter charge in last summer’s death of an elderly Skowhegan man who was struck and killed by a car while operating a riding lawn mower in front of his home.

James Paine of Norridgewock was arrested Friday after the Somerset County grand jury handed up the manslaughter indictment arising from the Aug. 20 death of 87-year-old Bernard Currier.

Paine was being held at the Somerset County Correctional Facility in lieu of $10,000 cash bail or $40,000 surety.

“He’ll be arraigned in Superior Court and the court will consider bail and he’ll have a period of time to file motions,” said Evert Fowle, district attorney for Somerset and Kennebec counties. “It will probably be in order for trial in the spring or early summer.”

At the time of the crash, police said Paine was headed west on Parkman Hill Road during the late afternoon when his car skidded out of control and struck Currier, who was thrown from the mower and pronounced dead at the scene.

Paine, whose vehicle flipped upside down and landed on the lawn, suffered minor injuries and was transported to a local hospital.

Police Chief Michael Emmons said Paine’s vehicle crested a hill and was partially in the opposite lane of travel when Paine apparently veered to the right to avoid a vehicle going in the opposite direction.

Paine overcorrected, hit the ditch and at some point after that struck Currier, the chief said at the time, noting that speed appeared to be a factor.