A Gouldsboro man has been charged with manslaughter in connection with a fatal accident in Steuben in January.
James T. Jordan, 20, is alleged to have been driving a car that went off Dyer’s Bay Road around 10:15 p.m. Friday, Jan. 4. The crash killed Joshua Dube, 20, of Milbridge, who was one of two men riding in the car with Jordan at the time, police have said.
Dube was declared dead at the scene, according to police. Jordan and Joshua Bradley, 21, each were taken to Northern Light Maine Coast Hospital in Ellsworth with injuries that were not life-threatening.
In addition to the manslaughter charge, Jordan also has been charged with two counts of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of intoxicants and aggravated driving to endanger, according to court documents filed in Machias. He made his first appearance on the charges in Washington County Unified Criminal Court on Tuesday but has not yet entered a plea.
Manslaughter is a Class A crime in Maine, punishable by up to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000.
Jordan’s defense attorney, Steven Juskewitch of Ellsworth, said Friday his client is alleged to have had a blood-alcohol content of 0.1 percent, which exceeds the legal limit of 0.08 percent but, without going into detail, added that the test result might not stand up in court. He also said police cannot determine the speed of the car when it went off the road because of the road conditions at the time of the accident.
“There’s some question about icy roads,” Juskewitch said.
Attempts Friday to contact Matthew Foster, district attorney for Washington County, were not successful.
