A Portland man who crashed a car, killing a 4-year-old boy, in August in Casco pleaded not guilty Wednesday to a manslaughter charge and three other felony counts.
Michael S. Minson, 28, formerly of Casco, was ordered held by Judge E. Paul Eggert on $20,000 cash bail during a brief appearance in the Cumberland County Courthouse in Portland following his indictment last week.
Minson, dressed in a striped open collar shirt, said nothing during the hearing as his attorney, Robert LeBrasseur, entered the pleas on his behalf.
LeBrasseur opted at the hearing to postpone bail arguments to give him more time to meet with his client.
In addition to manslaughter, a Class A felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison, Minson was charged with aggravated assault and causing a person’s death while his license was suspended or revoked, both Class B offenses, and Class C causing serious bodily injury after his license was revoked.
Police say Minson was driving a 1993 Honda Civic when it went off Route 11 just before 6 a.m. on Aug. 11. The car struck a utility pole, splitting the vehicle in two.
Cameron Petersen died in the crash and his mother, Crystal Petersen, 26, of Gray, was critically injured. Crystal Petersen faces a lengthy recovery and spoke to the Portland Press Herald by phone Tuesday from the intensive care unit at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston, where she was recovering from a head surgery.
After the crash, Crystal Petersen spent more than a month at the Lewiston hospital and at one point was in a coma. The crash broke several bones in her face and doctors removed part of her brain, which had been injured.
A prosecutor in court Wednesday, Assistant District Attorney Michael Madigan, requested as a condition of bail that Minson have no contact with Petersen directly or through a third party.
At the time of the crash, Minson was running late for his job at Dunkin’ Donuts in Naples and was passing other cars on Route 11, police said. Investigators for the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office said speed was likely a factor in the crash.
About a month after the crash, Minson’s mother reported him missing. Minson lived with his mother, who told police she was concerned for his well-being.
In late September, Minson informed police he was OK and had been visiting friends in York County.
Minson was arrested Monday evening by the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department following his indictment last week and remains in custody at the Cumberland County Jail in Portland.
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