Family and friends of two Oxford County teenagers killed in a car crash early Saturday were trying to come to terms with the tragedy, in which police said alcohol and text messaging were factors.

Two other people were hurt in the single-car crash, which occurred shortly after 12:15 a.m. on Route 219 in West Paris. All four were from the area.

Killed were Logan Dam, 19, of Norway and Rebecca Mason, 16, of West Paris, both passengers in a Subaru sedan driven by Kristina Lowe, 18, of West Paris.

Lowe was in critical condition at Maine Medical Center in Portland on Saturday evening. A third passenger, Jacob Skaff, 22, of South Paris, was treated for serious injuries at Stephens Memorial Hospital in Norway and released later Saturday.

Maine State Police Trooper Tom Welch said Lowe was driving east on Route 219 when her car left the road, hit a driveway, vaulted into the air and crashed into some trees.

Welch said it is not clear whether the four were wearing seat belts.

Welch said alcohol and text messaging played a role in the crash, which is still under investigation.

It appeared that Lowe had a broken back and Skaff suffered deep lacerations, the trooper said.

As Welch spoke, the cellphones taken from the accident victims rang constantly in the background.

Jerrold Mason, Rebecca Mason’s father, said he was not sure where his daughter was headed at the time of the crash. He said she had hundreds of friends, but he had never met Lowe.

He described his daughter as bubbly and popular, an outdoors enthusiast who liked hunting and athletic activities.

She was a sophomore at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School in South Paris, where she played field hockey, track and other sports, her father said.

“She loved pretty much any type of animal. She was awesome,” said Mason, who has a grown son with his wife, Tracie.

Mason said he didn’t know much about the details of the crash, which happened about three miles from his house.

Dam was the son of Deborah Sande and Douglas Dam of Norway. Sande said Logan Dam, her only child, had been living with her nephew and some of his friends in West Paris during the past few months, while working as a cook at Sunday River.

She said he left Oxford Hills high school during his senior year last year to work and help her pay bills.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better son,” she said.

Oxford Hills Principal Ted Moccia said counseling will be offered to students this week.

Staff Writer Beth Quimby can be contacted at 791-6363 or at:

bquimby@pressherald.com

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