GARDINER — The man who was driving a Budget rental van that crashed Saturday morning on icy Brunswick Avenue — killing him and his grandson — was not legally allowed to drive.

In fact, only one of the three men in the van was licensed at the time of the crash. The men were reportedly making deliveries for a rental company.

The driver, Dennis Kay, 62, of Gardiner, and his grandson, 25-year-old Carlton Norwood of Pittston, were killed. Thomas Bourque, 29, of Randolph was taken by ambulance to MaineGeneral Medical Center in Augusta, where he was treated for nonlife-threatening injuries.

Norwood’s mother, Charlene Henderson of Pittston, said shortly after the crash that the three men were couriers for Budget rental and were going from a rental business in Farmingdale to Windham, where they were expected to pick up Budget trucks and drive them back to Farmingdale.

According to the Secretary of State’s Office, Kay and Bourque had suspended driver’s licenses. Norwood’s license was active.

Alice Pereira, spokeswoman for Budget rental in Parsippany, N.J., said Thursday that Kay, Norwood and Bourque were not employed by Budget, but were employees of Option Rentals in Farmingdale. Pereira described Option Rentals as a third-party vendor contracted by Budget.

Option Rentals owner Doug Wiggins did not return a call seeking comment and was not at the business when a reporter arrived early Thursday afternoon.

The crash occurred around 8 a.m. Saturday as the men drove the Ford van south toward Interstate 295. Freezing rain had left a thin coat of ice on the road, which caused the van to skid, roll over and land in a ditch on its side.

 

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