LEEDS, Maine — A 27-year-old Leeds man is dead after an early morning accident Sunday.
According to Capt. Raymond Lafrance of the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Department, at 5:37 a.m. authorities received a call of a vehicle on fire on Route 106, near the intersection of Lakeshore Drive.
Fire crews were dispatched and discovered a single-vehicle crash involving a fatality.
Lafrance said Charles Damren was traveling south on Route 106 in his cousin’s 2012 Honda when he lost control going over a hill.
The vehicle then left the opposite side of the roadway, striking two large trees and ejecting Damren from the vehicle. According to Lafrance, Damren landed in the north travel lane with his vehicle coming to rest just off the south lane before it caught fire.
According to Lafrance, Damren was dead at the scene.
The Honda Damren was driving was owned by John Baker of Livermore and, according to Lafrance, Baker had loaned the vehicle to Damren on Saturday night.
Damren’s license was under suspension at the time of the accident, and Lafrance said speed and alcohol are suspected contributing factors.
Thursday, Damren’s son Karter died unexpectedly at the age of 5 months.
Lafrance said the Sheriff’s Department was assisted by the Leeds Fire Department, Turner Rescue and the Lewiston Police Department. The Lewiston Police Department worked on scene reconstruction, and the accident remains under investigation.