Androscoggin County prosecutors will consult with outside experts before deciding whether to file charges in connection with an October hayride crash that killed one teenager and injured 22 other riders.
Andrew Matulis, an assistant district attorney, said his office received a final investigation report on the crash from the Office of the State Fire Marshal around Thanksgiving, but needs more information before deciding if charges will be filed against the owners of Harvest Hill Farms in Mechanic Falls. He said his office will consult with experts outside his office and the State Fire Marshal’s Office, but declined to discuss what kind of experts or what information is needed, citing the ongoing investigation.
Matulis said all files connected to the case have been sealed and a copy of the report cannot be released.
Cassidy Charette, 17, of Oakland, was killed in the Oct. 11 accident at the popular hayride attraction. A 1979 Jeep CJ-5 that was pulling a trailer has been the focus of the investigation. Police have said the jeep went out of control while going down a long, steep hill and crashed into trees.
Matulis anticipates the District Attorney’s Office will make a decision about the case by February.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.