EAST MACHIAS, Maine — Maine State Police say speed and alcohol likely were factors in a fatal crash in East Machias late Sunday morning that killed Francis Finn, 16, of Whiting.

Finn was a passenger in a pickup truck driven by Aaron Foss, 20, of East Machias that went out of control and crashed on Route 191 in Washington County about 11:40 a.m. Foss suffered minor injuries in the crash. Finn was killed instantly, police say.

Trooper Reid Bond said Foss was driving his 2008 Chevrolet Silverado at a high rate of speed when the truck went airborne on a slight knoll and then crashed into a utility pole and a tree.

Bond will complete his accident investigation report and present it to the District Attorney’s Office for review before any decision is made about whether to bring charges against Foss.

Foss was treated for bumps and bruises at Downeast Community Hospital in Machias and then released.

According to an obituary submitted to the Bangor Daily News on Monday afternoon, Francis Joseph Finn was a student at Washington Academy, where he was a member of the football, basketball and baseball teams. A basketball game between Washington Academy and Mount Desert Island scheduled for Tuesday night has been postponed because of the death.

The obituary notes that Frank enjoyed the outdoors, particularly hunting and fishing. He also was a fan of motorsports.

He is survived by his mother, Marie, two brothers and a sister.

Viewing will be 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 7, at Bragdon-Kelley Funeral Home in Machias. A funeral service will begin at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 8, at the Holy Name Catholic Church in Machias. Condolences may be left at bragdonkelley.com.

93 replies on “Whiting teen, 16, killed in East Machias accident”

  2. Why is it that the one that was drinking and driving are often okay and the passenger is always the one that has to pay with their lives?   My thoughts and prayers are with the Finn family. Soooo sorry for your loss.

    1. Are you friends with him or did you just take it upon yourself to do some “private” investigating to see what smut you could post on here in the name of drama???

        1. Who is right? The people saying he was drunk, or the ones saying there was no alcohol involved? It can’t be both ways.

  4. LOCK HIM UP!  No amount of punishment will bring back the life of a loved one. Im sorry to the family and friends.

    1. I believe Foss passed a Blood Alcohol test, and there was No alcohol involved at the time of the accident.

      2. How did you come to that conclusion? The MSP has stated “speed and alcohol are likely factors” Did they make that up? I doubt it. Youre talking to someone who has had a loved one stolen away by some idiot behind the wheel. Youre barking up the wrong tree here.

        1. If you think I don’t know what tree I am barking up here, you are wrong, I was a friend of the families and know that neither family wants people on here bad mouthing either one of the kids. I was just saying that I know he passed it. It doesn’t mean he isn’t guilty, but he passed it. And I’m not saying its right, I was just saying that was what happened.

          1. How does a 20 year old pass a Blood Alcohol test?  Under 21=NO alcohol in system!!!  My thoughts and prayers go out to both families that are trying to get through this aweful tragedy. One young man lost and another having to deal with his choices for the rest of his life.

          2. He passes the blood alcohol test when drinking was not involved.  The initial assumption was that these two were drinking and driving too fast (MSP). But, it turned out that it wasn’t the case.. No drinking, but excessive speed was the cause.

      3. Some people can pass a Blood Alcohol Test and still have alcohol in their bloodstream. This shouldn’t be the focus of the story as two young men have had their lives changed forever. One life has been unfortunately terminated way too soon and another will be scarred from the tragedy, wondering why this had to happen, what he could have done differently,etc. I know there is a rush to “lock him up and throw away the key” but he is going to be receiving a lifelong punishment that no court could dish out. Friends of the young man killed will always shun the driver and he will carry the guilt for his life, so any incarceration will only make his pain deepen. Have him speak to local schools and make a public service announcement about what could happen, showing the vehicle and saying “I was lucky to walk away, but my friend was not as fortunate” This should be punishment enough.

        1. all of you repeat glass window people should lay off the comments – your passing judgement on this is just bad karma for you 

          1. skull I am not sure how you are interpreting a question seeking clarification as living in a “glass house” or “passing judgement” on anything or anyone.

            But please, I would love to hear your reasoning.

    2. you know some of you people that are on here saying stuff about the driver of the truck should stop and think about what you are saying, because not only his family can get on here and see the comments but there are children that are friends with him that can also see these comments and i don’t think they should see these comments. I think you should get the facts before you start judging him because he is going to have to live with this for the rest of his life, i think that is punishment enough.

    4. you know something you wouldn’t be saying this stuff if it was your child or someone in your family that was going through this, they were  friends. And i think he is being punished enough without locking him up.

  6. These stories continue to make me sad, but also reinforce the idea that my son won’t be getting a license until he’s 18. He fights me every day for it and then follows up with stories about the high school parking lot accidents.  I wouldn’t sleep a wink Friday and Saturday nights if he had a license.   To the family. prayers  and God’s love.   I hope that the proposed bill for upping the legal age to drive goes through to save lives.

      1. People are going to drink and drive regardless of what age they are! 16, 18, 21, 30 etc!!! Its us a parents who need reinforce Do not drink and drive CALL someone, a cab, the cops, anyone!

          1. Of course it will still happen. It will continue to happen too. But if we as parents, reinforce, reinforce, reinforce, hopefully it will happen less and less. 

    2. Well, considering the driver was 21, then what? Things happen that we can’t control, no matter what the age.

    4. Well since the driver was 21 what would be holding your son from getting his license until he is 18 going to do?  We let our son get his license at 16 and yes i know he most likely has not obeyed every law he for the most part is responisble. If you choose to hold your child from getting his license until he is 18 thats good for you. But just remember the passenger of a car as in this case can tragically die.

      1. I didn’t read it close enough. Thought initially that the driver was 16. I apologize.

        Subject: [bdn] Re: Whiting teen, 16, killed in East Machias accident

  7. But for luck, and stronger cars, I could have shared the fate of either of these people  when I was their age. 

    Shame us older folk can’t pass on experience to the younger ones.

    Punishment won’t help, forgiveness might.

    2. I agree to a point. Yes this could have been me 38 years ago. Some type of punishment is still due the driver. People have to be held accountable for their actions. Lock him up and throw away the key as some people suggest? Heck we don’t do that for some murderers in this state. Some time behind bars would give this person time to reflect what he has done and how he has really brought a lot of grief to the family who lost their loved one. Then he should be made to pay for all funeral expenses. Finally as part of his sentence he should be made to go to schools and tell the student bodies what is like to kill someone because of doing something foolish.

      1. I believe Foss passed a Blood Alcohol test at the hospital just minutes after the accident, if so, that shows that there was no alcohol involved at the time of the accident.

        1. If that’s true, that’s a slight good thing for him I suppose. But the end result is still the same. Either way he will carry this with him for a long time. It’s just an all around bad situation.

        2. Wrong, if you’re under 21 there is a o tolerance policy for alcohol, so you are incorrect if he had any alcohol in his sytem at all!

          2. Someone should change that first sentence in this story then.  If he indeed wasn’t drinking then its not o.k. to insinuate that speed and alcohol were likely factors.  So sad for both young men and their families

        3. Still he was responsible for someone’s death and should be held accountable. It’s good he passed a BAC. I’m sure this will be on his conscience for a long time. Sad for both families.

        4. You believe or you know? And if you know how is it that you are privileged to investigative information?

    3. Yes, it is a shame that we can’t pass on our experience. Like most of us…young people will only learn from experience, not what they are told. When I was young I drank and drove, and now see what could have happened. Now I have children of my own…they went to school with Frank. I always know where they are and what they are doing. It’s called “parenting”. Not an easy job but someone has to do it.

  8. My condolences to the family and I don’t mean anything personal or disrespectful by this suggestion.  But how many kids have died this way just this winter?  I say put these mangled wrecks on the lawn at school for these kids to walk by every day.  Each wreck would have a sign indicating the cause such as “excessive speed”, “alcohol”, “texting” etc, etc.

    1. Maybe put on the lawn of an out of state school. I am heartbroken for the Finn family and all of the friends of the boys. If it were my son who lost a good friend this weekend, I know I would not want him to have to walk by a vilifying “memorial” to a passenger who did nothing wrong.

      We lost a good friend 2 years ago. He was a 16 year old driver who didn’t get to come home. I KNOW in that case how devastated my kids were. NEVER would I have let either of them be exposed to such a stupid sight. For every kid who went to school with or knew young Mr. Finn, his death will always be a sobering reminder never DRINK AND DRIVE. 

  9. I lost 2 friends like this, drinking, 1 was the driver, the other was the passenger, hit a slick spot & flew off the road into a utility pole.  Same story, only both died and they were both in their 40’s.  Age doesn’t matter, drinking & driving kills.  Too bad these young men didn’t have a designated driver-even if they had to call one.  What a terrible and senseless tragedy for both families.  

  10. Prayers and condolences to the Finn Family. Your loss is heartbreaking.

    Prayers, too, for the driver, who will have to live with the responsibility for this for the rest of his life. Aaron, your mistake could have been mine 40+ years ago, only for the grace of God. How many other commenters have never in their lives gotten behind the wheel when they shouldn’t have? If you have made this mistake even once, you were lucky. Do not judge the kid who was not.

    Parents teach your kids never to get into a vehicle with someone who has been drinking no matter how capable they seem. Offer to come and get them and do it if they ask so they know you mean it. This is something I have done too. My kids and anyone elses’ if they call me for a ride.

    For those of you who think kids are driving to young, my son is 17 and will get his license shortly. I have taught him right from wrong. I have taught him responsibility. Above all, I see it as my job to teach him to be independent and self sufficient-I won’t be around forever.

  11. I believe that it is easy for some of you who don’t know either of the boys involved to just sit behind the safety of your computer screens and say all these nasty things about locking someone up and throwing away the key. Why don’t you get a life and stop wasting your times talking about what you think? Because no one really cares.

    1.  I believe this is a free forum for people to state what they believe. MOST here are saddened and concerned by the number of accidents that are caused by speed and/or drunk driving. Some may not express themselves sympathetically, but then you just read on. I may be going out on a limb here, but I think most of the ‘oldsters’ will never get tired of TRYING to pass some of our experience on to ‘youngsters’. Too bad, for both our sakes, that it rarely, if ever, gets heeded.

      1. We should be mindful as we post our comments. But if our comments save one life or help one person heal from this tragedy, then there remains, HOPE.

    2. If you are close to either of the young men involved, don’t take any of this personally. I was in just this situation a couple of years ago when a young Calais kid was killed. People are going to judge, even if they have done the same thing and gotten away with it. Some will comment back just to get you riled. 

      You are close to this situation. You know the character of the young men involved. Remember the victim with love and offer your support to the driver, if you can. Don’t mind what the rest of the world thinks. You have to look at yourself in the mirror each day.

      Since our young friend was killed, I have thought seriously about what I would hope if, God forbid, it had been one of my kids. I have hoped that I could be forgiving, especially, if something happened at the hands of one of their friends. I am sure I would not be looking for jail time. We have laws and they need to be enforced, but each of our laws has evolved for a reason and should be enforced to the spirit of the law, not the letter.  I would say if Mr. Foss had a history of drunk driving, (and it has been said he was not drunk) then perhaps he would need some punishment to deter future acts. We have seen though, time and again, that does not work. Harry Snyder has suggested support and forgiveness. I liked his comment (with the button). I am just sorry I could only like it once.

      I have commented extensively on issues of drinking and driving because it kills me to see even one kid die. There are ways to be safe. In memory of Francis Finn, get together with all of your friends and his, and support his family, Mr. Foss and each other. Talk about ways to keep yourselves safe and then follow those suggestions religiously. I was in accident in 2007, an SUV roll-over. I had my seatbelt on and I know that saved my life. In memory of your friend, pledge to put on a seat belt every time or follow some other safety measure. Make something positive come of this senseless death. Know that I and many others are praying for the families and friends of the victim and the driver. There really are some good people who care.

  12. My heart goes out to family and friends of this young guy, and the driver, because no matter what punishment he is dealt, it will never be as bad as having this hanging over his head for the rest of his life…..You can all point fingers and push blame, but its not going to help both boys families and their friends when they have to read this, remember if you cant say anything nice, dont say it at all…pass on your respects and leave!

  13. It will be a couple of weeks before the blood test comes back, a blood test is manditory in a fatal crash.  The ploice must have other evidence.

  14. There are going to be both sides of the story in this sad and tragic accident. No one knows what the situation was like except the responders from EMS, Fire, and Aaron.  *IF* he was drinking regardless of the amount, he is 20 and should be punished for it. He should be punished for reckless speed on a road with a lot of loose dirt and debris when he knew he probably should have been taking it easy. Kids make mistakes as do we all. This guy now has to live with whatever consequences will come his way in addition to knowing his best friend was passed on in his arms. How would you guys feel? Responsible? Stupid? Shameful? Guilty? All of these things will be running through his mind for the rest of his life. We are all going to speculate and say, well this happened, that happened, he was doing this…but unless you were there, you don’t know. I do not know. I know of people who were there, but not details.  Aaron is going to need to man up and accept the consequences of his actions. We all need to come together as a community to help support his mental anguish but most of all, that of the family who just lost a child, a brother, a friend, a life.  Please think of the responders who go to calls like this where young adults and children needlessly die. These guys have a hard time dealing with it to. 

    Like I said before, we are all going to have opinions on both sides of the fence. You guys are entitled to your opinions.  I just know that saying hateful things like “He should dress the body” do not come to mind when friends die in their friends arms.

    My thoughts are with both families who have been affected by this tragedy, WA kids and faculty, and the county.

    3. I can honestly say that this is the only post on this that has actually stated facts. No one does know, like I said I heard he passed the Blood Alcohol test. Very well put, and that is a pure fact that we have to come together as a community and help get through these tough times.

      1. This is at least the third time you have posted information which is privy to the investigation. Twice you posted “I believe” and twice you were asked “I believe or you know?” and twice you haven’t answered.

        Now you post “I heard”. So do you “believe Foss passed a Blood Alcohol test at the hospital” or have you “heard he passed the Blood Alcohol test”?

        While you complement another post for stating “fact” you continue to post “innuendo” and “rumor” in the absense of fact.

          1. Since you “heard” it, I would respectfully ask that you stop posting it since it is a “rumor” that is unconfirmed by anyone in authority.

            I am asking you in the spirit of your post about “facts”

  15. The driver should be punished to the fullest extent of the law and the mother and family of the deceased should seek a consultation with the town pastor. Everyone should be very close to mom in this particular case. I will pray for all those involved in the crash tonight.

  16. just a bad and sad story all around, careful with your comments, family members read these comments, next time it could be us…

  17. I think that IF the driver was intoxicated, and IF speed was a factor, he should be punished accordingly. Any decent human being would be aware that the poor decisions they made cost someone their life, and it would be something they will have to live with forever. That in itself will be punishment. I think the law should be followed, and not be clouded by emotion. This is a difficult time for this young mans family, as well as the guy driving, and their circle of friends. The community tends to make things worse by some cry for justice and blood. That will solve nothing.

  18. before these young people are allowed to drive, they need to spend a weekend in a trauma ER, or riding with an ambulance crew. Yes, it can happen to you.

  19. the only thing that matters now is that marie, his two brothers and his sister have  to live the rest of their lives without him . they are hurting now and i think everyone should be careful before they comment on here as one of them are sure to see what was written . i am very sorry this has happened.

  21. The state police say that speed and acohol LIKELY were factors in the accident…To me likely is the same thing as saying BELIEVE…..So you tell me jd2008jd do the police KNOW or not….your putting alot of faith on the LIKELY word and none on the BELIEVE word….I am a BELIEVER are you….

  22. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

    He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

    He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

    Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

    Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

    Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

    R.I.P. Frank

  23. Anyone who wasn’t close to either one of these guys shouldn’t pass judgement on it, saying things like lock him up and throw away the key or make him dress the body…. i can’t believe I’m reading these things, coming from someone who actually KNOWS both of these people…everyone can have their own opinion, that being said, our group of friends, we are family, and we are all hurting right now and i know they would all agree. this was a horrible accident that happened to two of the best people that i will EVER know.

    at the very least two lives were changed forever sunday, and in reality many more were. Aaron and his family, and also franks family need Support right now. i don’t think they need to see some of these comments. If you can’t figure it out when your posting the guidelines are right above ^ 

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