FAIRFIELD — Brock Peters was just beginning to get his life back after years of opioid addiction and several stints in jail.
The 29-year-old Fairfield man’s path toward a better life ended Wednesday afternoon when his motorcycle was hit by a pickup truck on Ward Hill Road in Norridgewock.
Brock Peters in an undated photograph at the El Rancho De La Vida substance use disorder treatment facility in Fairfield, where he received treatment for about two years. Photo courtesy of Jamie Lebish
Many who knew Peters described him as a constant source of inspiration, both for his own recovery process and his willingness to help others recover from addiction.
Peters was one of the first to join a groundbreaking addiction treatment program at the Somerset County Jail in Madison. In an interview with the Morning Sentinel in February about his experiences, Peters described the process as “miserable,” but said he was not sure he would be alive without it.
The jail was the first rural correctional facility in the country to offer the new form of addiction treatment. After graduating from the program, Peters became a dedicated advocate for others who are incarcerated and dealing with substance abuse disorder.
“When you Google ‘Brock Peters Maine,’ my arrest is what comes up. I don’t want that to be my legacy,” Peters said in February. “I want people to think of the person I am now.”
Peters’ legacy of helping others is the one that will remain, according to Jamie Lebish, executive director of the El Rancho De La Vida substance use disorder treatment facility in Fairfield, where Peters began his recovery process after leaving the Somerset County Jail.
Peters was a pillar at El Rancho’s Shiller Ranch, where he stayed for about two years. He often spent his time working on cars, Lebish said, and took immense pride in helping to fix other residents’ vehicles.
“He put his mind into everything he did, and he never looked back. He used every tool he could, and really went out of his way to help others,” Lebish said Thursday. “I think that’s why Brock was such a good guy. He cared for himself, but he also (cared for) about every single person around him. He was a miracle.”
Brock Peters, 29, at a local recovery center Feb. 6. The Fairfield man was killed Wednesday afternoon when his motorcycle was hit by a pickup truck on Ward Hill Road in Norridgewock. Rich Abrahamson/Morning Sentinel
Peters often said his spirituality was central to his recovery process. While incarcerated, he became involved with the Corinna Seventh-day Adventist Church, and eventually moved in with the church’s pastor, Roger Belanger, after leaving rehab, Belanger’s wife, Wendy, wrote in a Facebook post.
“Brock transplanted some flowers for me this morning. We worked outside together for a while, he came in and took a shower and got ready to leave with his helmet on,” Belanger wrote. “I said, ‘Have a good day,’ and he said, ‘You too.’ I wished I told him I loved him. But is there ever death without regrets? I think not.”
The fatal crash occurred just before 3:30 p.m. Wednesday as Peters was southbound on his 2005 Yamaha motorcycle on the road that connects Norridgewock and Madison. He was hit by a northbound Ford F-150 pickup truck that was turning into a driveway, according to Chief Deputy Michael Mitchell of the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office.
Peters, who was wearing a helmet when the crash occurred, was pronounced dead after being taken to Redington-Fairview General Hospital in Skowhegan.
Officials said the circumstances of the crash remained under investigation Thursday.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.