The mother of the 22-year-old woman killed in a two-car accident in Embden last winter said Wednesday she wishes the best for the driver of the car involved in a crash that took her daughter’s life.

Mark Schobel, 25, of Anson, was arraigned on two counts of manslaughter Wednesday in connection with the accident that killed Jennifer Nile of Embden, a passenger in his car.

The crash also took the life of Ruth Souweine of Bangor, a passenger in the other car involved in the two-car crash.

“I think the world of Mark, so it’s been a really tough time for all of us,” Laurie Nile, Jennifer’s mother, said. “I understand the other side of the story, and he does, too. I don’t really have much to say about it except that I wish the best for him.”

Schobel pleaded not guilty to the charges Wednesday morning in Skowhegan District Court.

The case has been delayed in part because Schobel was seriously hurt in the February 27 accident on Route 16 in Embden, said Schobel’s attorney, Walter Hanstein.

“Mark himself was in the hospital for weeks. He was injured very severely,” said Hanstein. Schobel is beginning to recover physically from the accident and is walking without crutches, Hanstein said, but he has metal plates in his hips and is still struggling to recover mentally.

“He really is a good young fellow. He was terribly injured himself and was also devastated by what happened. The passenger with him was one of his dearest friends who died, and someone else was killed, someone else was injured. He is absolutely devastated by what a tragedy it was,” said Hanstein. “It’s very difficult for him to even talk to me about it.”

Schobel was driving east on Route 16 at around 4:30 p.m. the night of the accident and hit an oncoming car while passing another vehicle not involved in the accident. The speed limit in the area is 50 mph, but Schobel was driving at a speed of 70 mph, according to a police affidavit.

Nile was a passenger in Schobel’s car and was pronounced dead at the scene. Leon Souweine, the driver of the oncoming car, was injured in the crash that took the life of his wife, who later died of her injuries.

The results of blood tests in the accident have not been made public, but alcohol was found in the car Schobel was driving, and Schobel told hospital workers that he had four beers before driving, according to court records.

Schobel was indicted by a Somerset County grand jury in October and made his first court appearance on Wednesday.

“His thoughts are with the people who were killed and who were hurt, one of whom was a very dear friend of his,” Hanstein said

Schobel is next scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 21.

Rachel Ohm — 612-2368

rohm@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @rachel_ohm