CLINTON — After four months, charges have been filed against the teenager that was driving the vehicle that crashed, killing three and injuring another youth.

Timothy Silva, 17, of Clinton, was arrested Thursday night on three counts of vehicular manslaughter, reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon and driving to endanger causing serious bodily injury for the Feb. 9 crash in Clinton, District Attorney Maeghan Maloney confirmed Saturday morning.

Clinton fatal

Ashlin Baker, 12, left, Emily Baker, 14, and Thomas Porfirio, 15, were killed Feb. 9 in a one-car crash on Hinckley Road in Clinton. Contributed photos

The police had worked with local residents that provided information to try to reconstruct a 24-hour timeline of events that ended in the crash, Cpl. Phil DeLuca of the Clinton Police Department previously told The Associated Press. At least one of the teens in the vehicle was not wearing a seatbelt, he said.

The crash on Feb. 9 was reported at 7:15 a.m., and occurred about 2 miles from downtown Clinton when the 2007 Toyota Corolla with the youths inside apparently struck a patch of ice and slammed into a large pine tree, according to police.

Silva is being held at the Long Creek Youth Detention Center and his detention hearing is Tuesday at noon at the Waterville District Court. He is being represented by Attorney Walt McKee.

Killed in the crash were sisters Emily and Ashlin Baker, 14 and 12, respectively, and Thomas Porfirio, 15.

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The crash was reported by another driver. Several state troopers and accident reconstructionists were at the scene to assist the Clinton police, officials said.

The crash occurred near 272 Hinckley Road, near the Ironworkers Local No. 496 building. The speed limit is 45 mph on that straight stretch of road, which has a slight incline and appeared clear of snow and ice at the time of the accident, officials said. Clinton Police Chief Rusty Bell previously told the Morning Sentinel that the youths got together at 2:15 a.m. the morning of the accident and “just rode around” Fairfield, Waterville and Clinton. The car, he said, is registered to Silva’s mother.

Silva and passenger Navaeh Wilson, 12, survived the crash and were taken to Maine Medical Center in Portland. Wilson suffered broken bones and Silva reportedly suffered a broken collar bone. All of the teens are from Clinton, Bell said.

“It took four months to the day for the process to work its way through,” Bell said. “It happened to be the youngest Baker girls’ birthday yesterday.”

Bell said that though the process took months, he had assured families of the teens that were killed that the process would be followed.

“We were pretty confident that we would get to this place,” Bell said. “You never want to give families a promise that you’re not completely in control of. We worked with the District Attorney’s Office during the process and we got to a point about a month ago and knew pretty much all along where we would end up. (Regardless,) we still have to follow the facts and get every piece of information that is available so it’s done right.”

Bell said that within 24 hours of the crash, the department had received information about the incident from community members based on what was happening on social media.

“I am grateful to Chief Bell and his careful and thorough investigation and the care and concern he has patiently shown to every person,” Maloney said.

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