Maine news, sports, weather from Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram, Portland, Maine

June 18, 2012

Dispatches

From news service reports

BELGRADE

Alcohol suspected in crash that killed Oakland woman

Police believe alcohol played a role in a one-car, high-speed crash late Saturday that killed an Oakland woman and left two men seriously injured.

Kristin Lawler, 20, a passenger in a 2011 Toyota Corolla driven by her brother Travis Lawler, 22, died when the car left the road on a curve and slammed into a tree, said Maine State Police spokesman Steve McCausland.

Jackson Bolduc, 25, of Belgrade was taken to MaineGeneral Medical Center in Waterville with life-threatening injuries and subsequently airlifted to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, McCausland said.

A third passenger, Dylan Desroches, 20, was taken by LifeFlight to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston with serious injuries, McCausland said.

Travis Lawler, a U.S. Marine home on leave from North Carolina, was taken to MaineGeneral for treatment of cuts and scrapes, Petrini said.

The crash occurred around 11 p.m. Saturday on Horse Point Road in North Belgrade.

"Troopers say speed and alcohol are going to be the cause of the crash," McCausland said.

Petrini said it does not appear Kristin Lawler, Bolduc or Desroches were wearing seat belts. Investigators had not yet determined if Travis Lawler was belted in.

The crash remains under investigation, Petrini said. No charges had been filed as of Sunday evening.

Published reports indicate all four of the car's occupants graduated from Messalonskee High School in Oakland.

LEBANON

Puncture wound sends skydiver to hospital

A skydiver was transported by ambulance to Frisbee Memorial Hospital in Rochester, N.H., Sunday night after he suffered a leg wound during his landing.

Jason Cole, Lebanon’s assistant rescue chief, described the puncture wound to the man’s thigh as “traumatic.”

The accident took place just before 7 p.m. Sunday at SkyDive New England. The company, according to its website, has been in business for 28 years.

The skydiver appears to have been injured when he brushed against a pile of sticks on the perimeter of the landing zone, said Eli Bolotin, a safety and training adviser at SkyDive.

The man’s name, age and address were not available.

STANDISH

After fire destroys church, services move to library

Members of a Standish church that was destroyed last week after two teenage boys allegedly set fire to it met Sunday morning for services in their new home – the local library.

Pastor Greg Martin said about 20 people attended the service at the Richville Library in Standish, which will serve as the congregation’s new home for the immediate future.

Since Thursday’s fire at the Richville Chapel on Mosley Road, Martin said the church has been inundated with offers of assistance. A local contractor and architect have offered to help with rebuilding the church and at least two people have offered to donate musical organs.

Two local boys, ages 14 and 15, have been arrested and charged with arson and burglary. Martin said that the boys and their parents have not reached out to him since the fire.

“I could be angry if I wanted to be, because I am upset that someone would do that to a church,” said Martin, who has a teenage daughter about their age. “But, I can’t hold any anger, even though it’s the natural thing to do. We need to pray for these boys and hope they get the help they need.”

(Continued on page 2)

Tweet