OXFORD, Maine — Police are investigating a fatal one-car crash on Webber Brook Road on Friday.
Patrol officer Jim Richardson said Kenny Smith, 53, was traveling along the road in a white Ford pickup at about 10:30 p.m. Friday when he lost control and hit a tree.
The road was closed for three and a half hours while police investigated. The accident remains under investigation, Richardson said.
On Saturday, A motorcycle rider was injured when he collided with a pickup truck.
Donald Harvey, 44, of Oxford, was taken to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston and treated for broken bones, Richardson said.
Richardson said Harvey was traveling north on King Street at about 2:11 p.m. The truck, driven by Harold Bragdon, 57, of Oxford, was traveling south on King Street near Cotton Lane when it turned into a driveway in front of Harvey.
Neither Bragdon, passenger Mark Young, 27, of Oxford nor two juveniles were injured in the accident.
No charges are being filed in the accident.
Seems like Maine’s roads and highways are becoming killing fields.
How on earth can you turn in front of someone and hit them, then have no charges filed? That’s outrageous! I learned to drive in Illinois…when two cars are in a crash, at least one driver gets a ticket EVERY time. At least one person has done something wrong when two cars crash together.
You’re right. Turning into someone’s path should be at least a failure to yield. Maybe an update will include it.
Obviously the driver did not turn in front of a an approaching rider. In their mind they turned safely with no intent to harm anyone. In 39 years as a motorcyclist I have never once heard of a driver purposely violating the right-of-way of a motorcyclist to cause harm to someone they didn’t know or intended to inflict injury to. This Oxford case is typical. The driver makes a split second mental check, asks themselves if any traffic is coming before they cross a lane of traffic to make a left hand turn, and their brain answers back, go ahead, I see no cars or trucks. Then a collision with a motorcyclists happens, because the motorcyclist failed to cover the breaks, slow to a speed needed to make a complete stop, and change lanes to create time and space, after predicting it is possible the driver may not see an approaching motorcycle, as they enter an adjacent driveway or intersection directly in their travelled path. It is irrelevant to who is primarily at fault in these situations if the motorcyclists wishes to avoid injury or death. If a rider is hurt in these situations, it is their fault for executing all of the avoidance tactics that would minimize or reduce the risks. If you don’t like this explanation don’t ride. If you don’t ride with this ethic, you may be explaining how you were injured.