FALMOUTH — A South Portland man has been charged with being at the wheel in last week’s fatal car crash while his license was suspended.
 
Matthew Blanchard, 24, apparently fell asleep while driving a 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt owned by Casey Green, 22, of Cumberland. The car drifted off the northbound lane of Gray Road and hit a tree at 2:48 a.m. Friday.

Green was killed in the crash and initially, Blanchard, who was out of the car when police arrived, told police Green was driving. Blanchard met with police Tuesday, however, and when confronted with evidence that undermined his story, he admitted he was at the wheel, said Falmouth Police Chief Ed Tolan.

Police charged Blanchard with causing an accident that led to the death of someone while driving with a suspended license, a felony, Tolan said. The Cobalt is being sent to the State Police Crime Lab in Augusta for further analysis.

There was no indication of alcohol or excessive speed and Tolan said police have no reason to believe Blanchard didn’t fall asleep. He has told police he does not remember the crash.

Blanchard has had his license suspended at least twice, according to state records, and was charged with driving without a license twice before that, when he was 15 and 16 years old. He was convicted of leaving the scene of a crash in 2003 in which there was bodily injury.

Following Friday’s crash, Blanchard was taken to Maine Medical Center for treatment and was released Monday, Tolan said.


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