BELFAST, Maine — A Stockton Springs teen who was killed a month ago when his car crossed the centerline of Route 1A and collided with a dump truck was not texting or using his cellphone at the time of the crash, according to police.
Owen Krause, 16, had been on his way to class at John Bapst Memorial High School in Bangor on Sept. 19 when the accident occurred.
Chief Deputy Jeff Trafton of the Waldo County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday that police received records from the teen’s cellphone company on Friday. He said that the cause of the crash is undetermined.
“I’m assuming that’s the way it’ll be closed,” he said of the case. “There’s nothing else to follow up on. It’ll be one of those accidents we’ll never really know what happened.”
The phone records showed that Krause was not on the phone and no recent texts had been sent or received, he said. Police now look at cellphone use history as part of standard operating procedure as officials investigate fatal or serious vehicle accidents, according to the chief deputy.
The high school junior was remembered by John Bapst cross-country coach Joe Capehart as a “great teammate.”
“[He was] very good natured, self-effacing, always willing to help out and lend a hand, and he’s going to be sorely missed,” Capehart said in a news item that was posted last month on the school’s website.
It is good to read this news. I hope it shames all those who were critical right after the crash and assigned blame that was not there. I am certainly ashamed of them.
I am so very sorry that this family will never know what caused their son to crash. I hope knowing what it WASN’T helps ease their mind some. My condolences to your family.
I dont know I think that I would like to have a reason as to why my child swerved in the other lane and died. Maybe I am just different but Id like a cause rather then always wonder. May this boy rest in peace
I agree that having answers may help with closure for the family. With that being said, texting and talking are just a few of the thousands of things you can now do on a cell phone. It is plausible that this upstanding young man was browsing through photos, reading an article, or doing any number of things that you can now do on a cell phone. I don’t think it really makes a difference because no answer will bring him back, but I understand if the family wants more answers to help with closure. This tragedy hits close to home as I have a child who is nearing driving age and I can’t even begin to imagine the pain this family is feeling. I hope they are able to stay strong and find some comfort in the near future. In many cases this type of tragedy can tear a marriage apart, I hope that is not the case in this instance.
Didn’t you read the article? It says, “was not texting or using his cellphone at the time of the crash, according to police”
I would want to know too, if a cause can be known. I just think that knowing he wasn’t texting and driving might help some. It may not help one bit, who knows. Nobody knows how things would affect them, until they are in that situation.