Reported in the Portland Press Herald on Tuesday November 9, 2010
The 21-year-old driver of a pickup and his two teenage passengers are dead followng a crash in the midcoast town of Hope Monday night.
State Police say Daniel Dodge II, of Hope, died as did his passengers Misti Leach, 14 of South Thomaston and Katie Kelly, 17 of Rockland.
Dodge lost control of the truck on Barnestown Road at 10:45 p.m., State Police said. The truck rolled over and slid on its side into a tree.
Leach, an eighth grader and Kelly, who attends Rockland High School, were killed instantly, police said. Dodge died at the scene after being extricated from the wreckage.
Knox County Sheriff’s deputies and officers from the Camden and Rockland police departments responded with State Police as did rescue workers from several nearby communities.
The cause of the crash is under investigation.
Based on this report, it is clear an accident reconstruction will be necesary to determine the cause of this accident. The Maine State Police automatically conducts such an investigation in a case with fatalities such as this. Depending on their results, further research as to the cause may also be warranted. Sadly, there will also be complicated estate issues in these cases. At this time it appears that claims by the families of Ms. Kelly and Ms. Leach will be warranted against Mr. Dodge’s insurance. There are also potential claims against any household policies where the young women lived. This will require a thorough analysis of available coverage by an experienced legal team. The auto accident specialists at Peter Thompson & Associates have handled thousands of similar claims and recovered millions of dollars in compensation for our clients. We specialize in providing excellent customer service and quick results. For more information, contact Peter Thompson & Associates at 1-800-917-1784 or read more on our website www.Peter-Thompson-Associates.com on our car accident practice page.