HIRAM — Two recent high school graduates described as great kids with bright futures died in a car accident here Saturday, leaving the Sacopee Valley community reeling just a year after another young person died in a crash.
Andrew Stanley, 18, of Porter died at the scene of the accident on South Hiram Road. Another passenger, 19-year-old Isaac Moore of Parsonsfield, died at Maine Medical Center in Portland, said Chief Deputy Hart Daley of the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office.
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Stanley and Moore were 2014 graduates of Sacopee Valley High School.
The 17-year-old driver was treated and released after the crash, which happened just before 2 a.m. Saturday near the school. A 16-year-old passenger remains hospitalized. Daley said the names of the two juveniles are not being released. One of the unidentified teens is a current Sacopee Valley student, and the other previously attended the school.
The deaths of Stanley and Moore are “a terrible loss to the whole community,” said high school Principal Britt Wolfe. “This is a small, close-knit community. There’s hardly anyone who won’t be affected by this.”
The crash came about a year after Sacopee Valley student Alexia Valente was killed in a car accident. The 16-year-old was driving home from a soccer game when she hit a tree on River Road in Hiram, three miles from her house.
On Monday night, more than 300 people gathered to remember Stanley and Moore at a candlelight vigil in Cornish. Friends described the teens as goofs with infectious smiles.
“They were the type of kids you want the world to be filled with,” said Oxford County Deputy Christina McAllister, the school resource officer. She fought back tears as she described getting called to the accident scene to find two of her “children” had died and two more were injured.
District Superintendent Carl Landry said the high school was opened Saturday and Sunday to allow current and former students to gather. On Monday, counselors from Sacopee Valley and MSAD 6 were available for students. The district also brought in staff from Sweetser to help students deal with the tragedy, Landry said.
“Obviously this will not be a great week in the Sacopee Valley school district,” he said.
The accident that killed Moore and Stanley remains under investigation. Police say it appears the driver lost control of his car and struck a utility pole. Daley said there is no indication alcohol was a factor.
“I can’t confirm speed was not a factor,” he said. No charges have been filed.
The accident occurred about a quarter-mile from the high school, just after the speed limit drops from 45 to 35 mph.
Arthur Eastman, a former fire chief in town, walked through his front yard Monday afternoon and pointed out the two utility poles involved in the accident. He said he was awakened by emergency vehicles and went outside to find a horrific scene.
Eastman said it appeared the car rounded a corner near his house but went out of control as it came down a hill, hitting one pole broadside and splitting the car in half. The front half crashed into a second pole, and the back half came to rest in woods across the street. He said the two passengers in the back of the car were the ones who died.
“It was quite a sight,” Eastman said. “It wasn’t a good scene, that’s for sure.”
Wolfe, the high school principal, said Moore and Stanley were both very involved in the school and community. He said counseling is being offered to students who are affected by the deaths and by the fatal accident last year.
The families of Stanley and Moore said Monday they were too upset to talk about their sons publicly.
Moore, the son of Brian and Tina Moore, was a student at York County Community College and worked as a cook at the Province Lake Golf Course. He was a dedicated member of the Drummond Masonic Lodge in North Parsonsfield, where his father is also a member.
Gary Nickerson, a family friend, said the family was “thrilled” when Moore became interested in freemasonry. As was typical for the teen, he put 110 percent of himself into freemasonry, Nickerson said.
“He was always lending a helping hand when it was needed in the community,” he said.
Nickerson said Moore was a mature young man who worked hard and learned quickly. In high school, Moore excelled at football and track.
Stanley was a nursing student at the University of Southern Maine. He was the son of James and Nancy Stanley of Kezar Falls, a village in Porter.
Stanley’s parents described their son in his obituary as a hard-working teen who frequently volunteered in Kezar Falls, where he was loved and respected by his neighbors.
“Andrew always had a kind word, a quick smile and silly joke to share,” his family wrote in his obituary. “His friends and family will miss his wonderful hugs and love of life. He was a young man poised to make a difference in the world.”
During high school, Stanley was a top student, a member of the National Honor Society and an active student-athlete and musician. He was proud of becoming a Mason at the Drummond Lodge, his family said.
At the vigil at Call’s Shop ‘n Save in Cornish, more than 300 people – many wearing Sacopee Valley blue – huddled together as police officers, parents and students spoke. Tears gave way to laughter as friends described the antics of Moore and Stanley.
Kristen Stanley spoke briefly about her brother.
“My brother was always smiling and loved everybody,” she said. “He wouldn’t want us to be sad right now.”
Eric Schroeder, who played football with Moore, said his friend was a “fun-loving guy.” He told a story about Moore falling asleep in class, only to yell out the word “chicken” when he was called on to answer a question. After that, Moore would yell “chicken” whenever he woke up from a nap during class.
Mark Call, who helped organize the vigil, said the accident has had a tremendous impact on the community, where everyone knows each other.
“When one of the families in this community suffers a loss, we all suffer a loss,” he said.
Oxford County Sheriff Wayne Gallant urged local teens to lean on each other as they mourn their friends, but to also make wise decisions behind the wheel.
“We don’t need kids gathered like this tonight,” he said. “We’d rather have kids gathered in times of celebration, not sorrow.”
Gillian Graham can be contacted at 791-6315 or at:
Twitter: grahamgillian
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