Maine State Police on Sunday identified the man who survived a violent southbound crash Friday afternoon on the Maine Turnpike in Kennebunk that took place before a northbound collision in which two people died.

Tyler Brown, 22, of Portland was treated for multiple injuries at Portsmouth Regional Hospital in New Hampshire following the southbound crash, said Stephen McCausland, spokesman for the Maine Department of Public Safety.

Brown was discharged on Saturday, according to a hospital spokeswoman.

Meanwhile, the family of Wyatt Peter Frost – the 5-year-old Lyman boy killed in the subsequent turnpike collision about 2 miles from the Kennebunk crash – described him in an obituary submitted Sunday to the Portland Press Herald as a happy boy who loved life.

McCausland said in a news release Sunday that Brown lost control of his sport utility vehicle while he was driving southbound on the turnpike at a high speed.

McCausland said Brown’s SUV veered across three southbound lanes before striking the median guardrail. The force of the crash ripped the motor from the SUV. Brown, who was not wearing a seat belt, was thrown through the windshield and landed on the pavement.

Brown’s accident preceded the deadly car and truck collision that killed Wyatt and his driver, Earl Gray, 57, of Waterboro. Gray, a longtime volunteer for the York County Community Action Corp., was driving Wyatt home from the Morrison Center in Wells. The center provides programs for children and adults with disabilities.

McCausland said the fatal crash happened while traffic was slowing down in the northbound lanes because of Brown’s wreck.

In the fatal collision, a box truck hit the rear of Gray’s car. The truck landed on top of Gray’s car after hitting it. The impact of that collision pushed Gray’s car into a tractor-trailer in front of the car.

State troopers are continuing to investigate the cause of the crash involving Brown. No charges have been filed against him, McCausland said.

After the crash that killed Gray and Wyatt, a friend of the boy’s family started a fundraising campaign on the website gofundme.com that as of Sunday night had raised more than $16,000 to pay for his funeral expenses.

In the obituary, Wyatt’s family said that he “had the ability to make anyone smile the as soon as he walked int the room.”

The little boy loved animals including his cat, Duke, and his dog, Sierra, but most of all he loved elephants, according to his obituary, which said he collected more than 50 books about them.

“He loved to read, sing, and chase his friends,” the obituary said.

Survivors include his mother and father, Aaron and Jena Shaw Frost, and his newborn sister, Scarlett Frost, of Lyman.

A celebration of Wyatt’s life will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Bibber Memorial Chapel, 67 Summer St., Kennebunk.

Memorial donations in his memory may be made to the Morrison Center, P.O. Box 1539, Scarborough, ME 04070.

 

Copy the Story Link