WATERVILLE — A blood sample taken from a driver who allegedly caused a six-car crash downtown on March 18 has tested negative for alcohol and illegal drugs.
Nancy Hazard, 42, of Waterville, was seriously injured when her crossover SUV slammed into four vehicles waiting at a stoplight on College Avenue in front of the fire station. A fifth vehicle was pushed into the intersection during the collision.
Six people were treated for injuries; two of them seriously, including Hazard.
“The results were basically clear,” Deputy Chief Charles Rumsey said of the toxicology report. “There was no evidence illegal drug use.”
Rumsey wouldn’t say whether Hazard was on any prescription medication, citing privacy. He added that a toxicology report would detect the presence of prescription drugs, and could determine whether the medication was taken as directed.
It is unknown whether charges will be filed against Hazard, Rumsey said. Waterville police are still waiting for the results of a crash reconstruction report, which was recently completed by the Kennebec Sheriff’s Office but needs to be reviewed and approved by Maine State Police for accuracy.
Rumsey said approval of the report has been delayed because several recent fatal crashes in Maine have taken higher priority.
“It’s a bottleneck,” Rumsey said of the review process.
The approved report will incorporate physical evidence from the scene and determine how fast Hazard was driving. The report will be combined with other aspects of the investigation, such as interviews with witnesses, Hazard and other drivers involved in the pile up, Rumsey said.
“Altogether that would paint a picture of whether the investigators and district attorney’s office believe there was criminal intent, recklessness or some other state of mind to support a criminal charge,” he said. “It will put together a conclusion about what is most likely to be the cause of the crash.”
Charges are possible but not necessarily likely, he said.
Several eyewitnesses estimated Hazard was traveling faster than 70 mph at the moment of impact. Hazard told investigators she doesn’t remember the crash or the events leading up to it.
Hazard, who wasn’t wearing a seat belt, was taken to the emergency room at MaineGeneral Medical Center’s Thayer Campus, then transferred to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor with chest trauma and a back injury, Rumsey said. She was released 10 days later and is expected to make a full recovery.
Karl Andresen, 69, of Winslow, suffered a cracked cervical vertebra, eight broken ribs, a concussion and a lacerated tongue in the crash. He was also taken to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, and released two weeks later.
He is also expected to make a full recovery.
Ben McCanna — 861-9239
bmccanna@centralmaine.com
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