TRENTON, Maine — Two men were killed and a third person was seriously injured during a two-vehicle crash on Route 230 in Trenton on Sunday night.
Joseph L. White, 23, of Trenton and James L. Crawford, 22, of Otis died after the vehicle White was driving crossed over into the opposite lane and struck an oncoming car before going off the road, hitting an embankment and rolling over, according to the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office. Police on Monday were still investigating why White lost control of his 1998 Acura Integra.
Another passenger in White’s car, 20-year-old Ali Gray of Trenton, was seriously injured in the crash and taken to Eastern Maine Medical Center. None of the occupants of White’s car were wearing seat belts and, as a result, were all ejected from the vehicle, police said.
The two occupants of the other car suffered minor injuries and were taken to local hospitals for treatment.
The crash happened after 7 p.m. on a narrow, rural stretch of road located between the Trenton town office and Goose Cove Road. That section of Route 230 — also known as Oak Point Road in that area — was closed to traffic for several hours Sunday night as police investigated the crash.
Police, emergency medical crews and firefighters from Trenton, Ellsworth, Bar Harbor, Gouldsboro, Southwest Harbor and Bangor as well as County Ambulance assisted at the scene.
Lot of accidents on that stretch. My prayers go out to both families
Please send prayers to the woman who I’m sure feels guilty the accident happened too. She was walking along the side of the road, and the 1st vehicle went out and around her. That’s why he was in the opposite lane to begin with. I know what it’s like to feel that kind of guilt, even when logically you know you didn’t cause what happened. Logic doesn’t always win over the ‘what-ifs’.
I sure will, i do not live in that area, but have a sister in that area, and every time i see a accident i wonder if its her. Thank you for pointing that out, i will be praying for all
That is terrible, she must be traumatized, people really do drive too fast, and need to slow down especially if there are pedestrians walking on the side if the road. Also no seatbelts…?
You are right they need to slow down when approaching a pedestrian on their side of the road, and stop if the area is to tight to pass the pedestrian(s) safely. The common response by most is to continue at full speed around the pedestrian even if it involves going into the opposite lanes oncoming traffic.
Too bad they were not wearing seatbelts.
even if they were we can’t tell if it would have helped.. the way they treat it like a indy 500 race even if they were wearing belts i’m sure it might not have mattered
That may be, but at least they wouldn’t have been thrown from the vehicle. Tends to give people a better chance if they stay in the vehicle. Doesn’t always work that way, but most of the time it does.
I am going to tell you right now i was about 4 cars back from the cars
you see up there in the pic….or closer…i saw a red car totally
mangled crushed in…I knew just at a glance there was at least a driver
fatality…the only place left inside the car for someone to servive
was the passenger rear side if they were curled up…ejection here seams
to have been better then to have been crushed completely in all that
metal. My condolences go out to all the family and friends involved and
a fast recovery for the injuried and eternal peace for the deceased.
Please re-read what I wrote- I said that it TENDS to give people a better chance, and that it DOESN’T always work that way. I didn’t say it was a guarantee.
I know that sometime the damage to the vehicle is severe enough that a person isn’t likely to survive, that’s why I used the wording that I did.
I also know that my cousin was killed in an out of state accident about 2 months ago, because she wasn’t wearing her seatbelt, and was ejected from her truck. There was virtually NO DAMAGE to the cab, and more than likely would have been just fine, had she been wearing her seatbelt, and stayed in the truck. Instead, she was ejected, and suffered a fatal head injury.
Seatbelts save lives, that’s really all there is to it.
The one fact is that you will never know if it would have saved those 2 lives. You do know that it was a definete contributing factor in their death. Get away from Egypt. Living on de Nile is not very safe.
I am going to tell you right now i was about 4 cars back from the cars you see up there in the pic….or closer…i saw a red car totally mangled crushed in…I knew just at a glance there was at least a driver fatality…the only place left inside the car for someone to servive was the passenger rear side if they were curled up…ejection here seams to have been better then to have been crushed completely in all that metal. My condolences go out to all the family and friends involved and a fast recovery for the injuried and eternal peace for the deceased.
So sad. I’d like to know how fast they were going. People – wear your setbelts, and make it a habit for your kids!
A special thanks to all the responders. A tragic accident like this is sometimes hard to deal with, especially in such a busy area on a busy weekend. Thanks once again for all you do.
Geez u would think they grew up with car seats and being buckled up would be a habit. I noticed lots of tv ads recently about click it if ticket guess they didn’t. So sad.
I agree. At their age, they should’ve grown up with those ‘click it or ticket’ ads. Here in Mass, we now unofficially say ‘click it or kick it’. It seems to sound like a better threat than just a fine. I doubt if the kids are listening, though…
Bangor responded to Trenton? Or was that just a BDN typo?
Jaws of life, yes
Life Flight is out of Bangor.
What really grates on me is when there is a sad story with a tragic ending posted here and most of the comments say things that are not very sympathetic to the family or anyone. “Shoulda been wearing seatbelts” is that all you have to say? How about, Im sorry, or “my heart goes out to their families” or even “what a shame” instead? The rest does not need to be said!
To the families and friends, I am very sorry for your loss.
I am sorry for the loss of life. However let the loss not be a waste. Let it be a lesson.
THANK YOU! GIMME A BREAK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! As family of one of the boys killed, I can’t believe the number of people quacking about seatbelts! I seriously don’t think it would have made a bit of difference in this situation, nor does it make a difference quacking about it or not! I am so sad for all parties involved. My aunt has now lost her youngest son. Be a little more discreet!
To those involved directly and indirectly with this accident, my prayers are with you. Condolences to the families and friends of those who were killed. Three years ago this weekend, a young family friend was killed in an auto accident and the pain is unendurable.
To the friends of those in the White car, WEAR your seatbelts, religiously. Do it in memory of your friends, if for no other reason. Do it for your parents, siblings and friends.
I was in an accident in 2007, in which I would have been killed if not for my seatbelt. If not for the belt, I would have been ejected, and with my SUV rolling over and over, I am sure it would have rolled over me and killed me. I used to be really lazy about my seatbelt. I was good putting it on, leaving the house, but if I took it off anywhere, for any reason, it rarely went back on. For some reason, this particular day, that small voice in the back of my mind said “put your seatbelt back on.” That was so weird, I didn’t question it, I just did it. Less than two miles further on down the road, I skidded on black ice and tried to correct, causing the SUV to roll, at least three times, by one witness account. A seatbelt SAVED my life, take the few seconds to buckle up and hope you never need it to save YOUR life.
Thank you for sharing your story. Glad you are here to tell it.
A big thank you for sharing your story. I hope people will read this and take it seriously.
Same thing happened to me……seat belt wise anyway, a guy ran through a stop sign, on an incline, I was higher, launched my Cherokee over on its side. Never saw it coming, too many trees in the way. Plus I thought he would stop. He didn’t. That seat belt was what saved me. I had a scratch on my wrist, that was it. Had to crawl out through the back with the help of my local post man who was in the neighborhood at the time. He unlocked my seat belt since it was so tight I couldn’t do it myself. Scary stuff. Thoughts with the family.
So horribly sad, two young and promising lives gone, one young man with serious injuries. My thoughts and prayers to the families of all involved.
Ali is a boy… just correcting so people aren’t wondering who the girl was with them
Though the name is deceiving, Ali is a guy. I’m not trying to be a witch, nitpick, or anything else. You are one of the few who are actually showing compassion towards the situation, and I’m sure you would like it to be accurate. :o)
Thank you for letting me know that Ali is a male. Anytime a child is lost, part of a mother’s heart dies, never to be healed again. I work with one of the young men’s mother. Her heart is broken, she is a good person, so was her son.
people need to wear seat belts, and slow down, also that yellow line in the middle of the road is there for a reason. My husband and i had to pull to the ditch just the other night because the person coming toward us was on our side of the road, never got over on their side, and didnt slow down a bit. really scarey, thank god for the chance to react in time.
I have this same experience at least four or five times a year here in Maine. Last fall we even had another car do this with a State Trooper right behind them (no emergency lights on). We pulled off so quickly that the tires sqealed leaving black marks and upon hitting dirt dug right in, and the trooper did absolutely nothing, following right behind them not even hitting the brakes as they pulled back into their travel lane. It took us a few moments to recoup and then proceed. This motor vehicle operation situation needs to be looked at along with several others.
Seat belts can kill you just as easily as not wearing them can.
Source of your research please?
What a comment! Years of research and stats can’t be disputed. I’ll take my much better chances WITH!
these people were ejected from the car and killed. hard to be ejected wearing a seat belt. by the way it is the law.
R.I.P Guys…far to young…
You can all go on an on about how much they should have been wearing their seatbelt, and i am sure many of you believe that. That is what the Media wants you to believe. I have seen far too many accidents where there car rolled over and over crushing and killing the people inside. Sometimes being ejected is the ONLY thing that gives you a fighting chance. Again, i realize this is not the popular view, but you believe what you wanna, and i will believe how i wanna. For the families of those involved, my heart truly goes out to you and my prayers are with your loved ones and with you.
i saw the car on the side of the road from behind the medical teams and their was only a small space in the passenger rearside where someone could be in there…so i know right now, no one would have servived if they were still in the car so i very much agree with you!
I am sure their surviving family members don’t want to hear lectures about how they should have worn seat belts. I am sure that goes without saying. It is still just as hard of a loss whether they were wearing seat belts or not. It’s all just a very sad situation and all that is left for the rest of us to do is send our prayers and condolences to the families and pray for the speedy recovery of the injured.