WOOLWICH, Maine — A Hope woman whom police said was operating under the influence of drugs when her vehicle struck another vehicle on Route 1, killing a Woolwich couple in January, has been indicted for manslaughter.
Danielle R. Ward, 34, was indicted by a Sagadahoc County grand jury on nine counts: two counts of Class A felony manslaughter, three counts of felony aggravated criminal operating under the influence, one count of felony driving to endanger, one count of misdemeanor driving to endanger, and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, also a misdemeanor.
Ward was previously convicted of OUI twice in the past 10 years, according to the indictment, including a 2013 conviction in Rockland District Court.
Ward was driving a 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe on Route 1 at about 6 p.m. on Jan. 21 when she allegedly veered into the southbound lane and collided with a 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe driven by 70-year-old Robert Martin.
Martin died at the scene of the crash, Sagadahoc County Sheriff Joel Merry said at the time. His wife, Carolyn Martin, 76, a passenger in the Hyundai, was flown by LifeFlight of Maine helicopter to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston, where she was pronounced dead.
A southbound 2013 Ford Explorer driven by William King, 63, of Dudley, Massachusetts, struck Ward’s vehicle.
Ward and three of the seven children who were riding with her were taken to Maine Medical Center in Portland with non life-threatening injuries. Neither King nor his passenger were injured.
“The district attorney’s office has been working closely with the Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office for the last several months,” District Attorney Jonathan Liberman said in an email to the Bangor Daily News on Wednesday. “This investigation has led to the present allegations, which include allegations that she was under the influence of drugs at the time of the crash. There were several children in her vehicle at the time, some of whom were not hers.”
BDN staff writer Dawn Gagnon contributed to this report.