PHILLIPS — A 15-year-old boy from Dixfield was killed Sunday morning in a single-car crash on state Route 142, also known as Weld Road, in Phillips.
A 2002 Nissan Maxima driven by Benjamin Carrol, 18, of Dixfield hit several trees along the right side of Route 142, according to Shannon Moss., spokesperson for the Maine Department of Public Safety. No other vehicle was involved, she said.
The 15-year-old was a passenger in the car and died in the crash, to which deputies from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office responded at 8:01 a.m., according to officials.
The driver and Charlie Billings, 18, of Carthage, another passenger in the car, were injured and taken to Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington.
“We will not be releasing the name of the 15-year-old,” Moss wrote in an email. Once the crash report is complete, it will be available, she wrote.
The Maine State Police were called to investigate due to the serious nature of the crash. Speed is considered a factor, according to Moss.
A state police crash reconstruction team was continuing to investigate as of Monday.
Along with Franklin County deputies and state troopers, NorthStar Ambulance and local fire departments responded to the crash scene.
“Preliminary investigative information suggests that the 2002 Nissan Maxima went off the right side of the roadway and struck several large trees,” Lt. Jason Madore of the state police wrote in an email. “Speed is being considered a possible contributing factor in this crash, however it is still under investigation by the Maine State Police Crash Reconstruction Team.”
Upon completion of the investigation, the state police expect to provide the evidence and other information to the Franklin County District Attorney’s Office, Madore wrote.
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