BANGOR, Maine — A 22-year-old man who provided alcohol to two Bangor teenagers before they died in a car crash last July in Glenburn was sentenced Thursday at the Penobscot Judicial Center.
Cornell Martin, who was convicted of two counts of furnishing alcohol to minors, was sentenced to 364 days in jail, with all but 45 suspended, and one year of probation, during which he must work 100 hours of community service, Marianne Lynch, assistant district attorney for Penobscot County, said Thursday.
Judge John Lucy ordered that 15 of the community service hours be spent speaking to driver’s education classes about the dangers of drinking and driving, Lynch said. Her office described Martin as a transient.
Tyler Babcock, 18, and Alex Chabre, 17, both of Bangor, died instantly in the single-vehicle crash on July 17 on Route 15 near the Bangor city line about six hours after Martin provided them with alcohol, authorities said.
Babcock lost control of his Toyota Corolla and struck several trees, splitting the vehicle in half, Penobscot County Sheriff Troy Morton said at the time.
Babcock’s blood alcohol content was .16, two times Maine’s limit for adults, Lynch said. The state has a zero tolerance approach to minors who drink and drive.
Before the crash, one teen posted an image on social media app Snapchat showing Babcock was speeding, driving at least 92 mph, a friend said the day after the deaths. The Snapchat images were part of the investigation, Morton said previously.
Lynch said that a minor has also been charged with furnishing a place for minors to drink in connection with the crash. The juvenile has made an initial court appearance but his name is being withheld because of his age.
Kelly Mahar, Chabre’s mother, said Thursday that she is pleased that the judge imposed community service as part of Martin’s sentence.
“That way, he’ll pay off what he owes,” she said.
Since her son’s death, Mahar has been speaking to driver’s education classes.
“It completely changed my life. Alex was my only child so I am no longer a mom,” said Mahar, who currently lives in Dover-Foxcroft. “I just want teens to understand that there’s more to life than having fun and that one second can change everything.”
She said that while she no longer can help her son, she has told his friends they could text her an “X” at any time and she will be there, no questions asked.