LEWISTON — An Oxford woman charged with manslaughter in the deaths of two passengers who police say died in a crash while she was texting is scheduled to make her initial court appearance this afternoon in Lewiston via video.

Kristina Lowe, 19, was arrested Tuesday at her home on charges of manslaughter, aggravated drunk driving, aggravated driving to endanger and leaving the scene of an accident. She is being held on $25,000 bail at Oxford County Jail.

Lowe has not been indicted by a grand jury – which doesn’t sit until June in Oxford County – but the state wanted to make sure she had bail conditions that prohibited her from drinking and other illegal behavior.

The case against Lowe may be Maine’s first manslaughter case in which texting on a cellphone is alleged as a key component of the crime.

Lowe was driving a 2002 Subaru sedan on Jan. 7 when she lost control on Route 219 in West Paris and crashed into a stand of trees. Prosecutors say she was speeding, had been drinking and was reading or sending a text.

Passengers Rebecca Mason, 16, of West Paris and Logan Dam, 19, of Norway were killed. A third passenger, Jacob Scaff, 22, of South Paris, was injured.
 


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