A Lincoln man was indicted Wednesday by the Penobscot County grand jury for manslaughter in connection with an off-road vehicle rollover last year that left a woman dead, according to the Penobscot County district district attorney.
Parker Gardner, 20, was driving an off-road vehicle at about 7:55 p.m., May 27, 2017, in Lowell when it overturned.
Abigail K. Fiske, 19, of Millinocket died at the scene on the WARP Road, the spokesman for the Maine Warden Service said last year.
In addition to manslaughter, Gardner was indicted on two counts of operating an ATV under the influence of intoxicant — one a felony and the other a misdemeanor — and one count of driving an ATV to endanger.
An arraignment date has not been set.
Less than two hours after the accident, Gardner’s blood alcohol level was .04 percent, according to District Attorney R. Christopher Almy. Based on Gardner’s statements, the lab estimated it was .08 percent, the legal limit for a 21-year-old to operate a vehicle, the prosecutor said.
Gardner allegedly operated the off-road vehicle recklessly by driving it into a spin, causing it to flip onto it roof, Almy said.
Fiske was in the backseat of a 2017 Maverick X3 UTV, often called a side-by-side, when Parker allegedly tried to make a “power turn” when the vehicle flipped, according to Bangor Daily News archives.
Fiske, a student at Husson University, was the daughter of Thomas Fiske of Lincoln and his former wife, Rachel Cyr of Millinocket.
If convicted of the most serious charge of manslaughter, Gardner faces up to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000.
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