Search continues for fatal hit-and-run driver
Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel 01/18/2008

NEW VINEYARD -- The motorist killed Wednesday night in a multi-vehicle crash on Route 27 was Steven McKinney, a longtime employee at Sugarloaf/USA, police said Thursday.

McKinney, 55, of New Portland, died of blunt trauma when timbers fell off a poorly secured load on a southbound truck Wednesday evening and struck his Ford Festiva. McKinney's compact car was crushed when a 12- to 16-foot-long beam slammed into his car, police said.

A falling timber also destroyed a northbound 1991 Saab driven by Katherine "Kitty" Jones, 41, of Camden. She and her 10-year-old daughter narrowly escaped injury.

Reached Thursday by phone, Jones said she was still shaken by the near-miss that could have killed her and her daughter, and she was unable to talk about the experience.

"We were just very lucky," she said.

Police say Jones had had no warning before the crash, which occurred at 5:15 p.m. Wednesday.

Jones was bound for Carrabassett Valley when her car was struck by one of the beams as it fell from the truck. Police said the impact sent the wood through the front grill and engine compartment of Jones' vehicle.

The timber tore through the hood, stopping just short of the windshield, police said.

The truck was hauling a load of 12- to 16-foot-long beams south on the two-lane highway when a dozen frozen timbers slid out of the back.

The driver of the truck failed to stop, and on Thursday, pleas in the media for him or her to come forward were unsuccessful, said the investigating officer, Franklin County Sheriff's Cpl. Steve Charles.

"But thanks to the public we received some good solid leads that we are following up on," Charles said Thursday night.

A third car was damaged when it drove over one of the beams in the road but the driver was not injured, police said.

Firefighters from New Vineyard, Farmington and Strong assisted with rerouting traffic and getting the timbers onto a flatbed truck from Bryan's Auto Body in New Vineyard. The well-traveled road was closed until after 10 p.m.

The accident occurred along a slight curve in the road near the intersection with Basin Road, the site of several serious accidents over the years and the same location as a fatal crash in October that killed Terry Richardson, Jr., of Dover-Foxcroft.

Betty Jespersen -- 778-6991

bjespersen@centralmaine.com

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M. Smith of Richmond, ME
Jan 18, 2008 7:32 AM
I used to work next to a home improvement store in Southern Maine and several times each week customers leaving from their yard would lose their load of plywood, timbers or pipe just pulling onto the street. No rope, no straps and it was a hoot to watch. This accident did not need to happen and more than likely would have been prevented with just a few feet of rope.

Obviously the driver knows he (and it is a "he") caused the accident by now. Unless you need to "dry up" what other reason would you have not to come forward. They will ID you in one to two more days.report abuse
Dawn of Augusta, ME
Jan 18, 2008 7:49 AM
Even if the truck's driver was unaware (which I doubt) that he/she had lost several large timbers off their load, I'm sure they know by now. It's very unsettling to think that anyone could show so little conscience as to continue driving or to not come forward by now. I'm not going to pass judgment on what might have happened but will say this. 12-16 foot beams are expensive. Multiply the loss by 12 and there has to be some really big personal issue involved for a person to just keep driving rather than going back to pick them up...and see to those affected. Regardless, they are going to get caught. And good luck trying to find supporters for your cause after an example of behavior like this.report abuse
R P of Fairfield, ME
Jan 18, 2008 9:26 AM
Most unfortunate, my heart goes out to all those involved. I live on RT 202, and drive around dozens of these big, overloaded trucks each day, its quite unsettling to think that such a person might get away with this level of negligence. We need significant (double) penalties for people who attempt a "hit and run" or people will continue to disappear after accidents thinking that they have nothing to loose.report abuse
AMomFirst of Winthrop, ME
Jan 18, 2008 11:03 AM
I hope that they find this coward soon!report abuse

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