Skowhegan woman dies in Fairfield crash

A Skowhegan woman was killed Tuesday night when the sport utility vehicle she was driving veered off Middle Road in Fairfield amid heavy rainfall and crashed into a tree.

Jarrica Gomes, 24, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, which was reported at 5:07 p.m. near 61 Middle Road, according to Fairfield police Chief Tom Gould.

Gould said Wednesday it appears the 2000 Ford Explorer that Gomes was driving hydroplaned.

“That’s the theory. It’s still under investigation,” he said Wednesday morning. “It crossed the center line and struck a large tree on the opposite side of the road. It was raining heavily, and some first responders reported they were hydroplaning.”

No other details on the accident were available later Wednesday.

The area of the accident on Middle Road was shut down for about two hours Tuesday night as Fairfield police, fire and ambulance crews worked at the scene, Gould said.

Traffic was diverted onto nearby Covell Road.

Fairfield police Officer Matt Wilcox and Detective Mike Ross, of the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office, reconstructed the accident.

Rhonda Tracey, a former Morning Sentinel employee who worked in the Skowhegan office, said Gomes had been a baby sitter for her grandchildren a couple of years ago.

Tracey said Gomes worked at a variety of jobs, most recently at a call center on Main Street in Fairfield. She said Gomes was on her way home from work when the crash happened.

“She was just beautiful, absolutely beautiful,” Tracey said.

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