PARIS – A Lewiston man whose passenger died in a crash last summer on Route 108 in Rumford has been indicted on a charge of manslaughter.
Robert J. Brimage Jr., 26, of 142 Oxford St., was indicted Tuesday by an Oxford County grand jury and charged with the Class A felony in connection with the death of Ricky Steedley, 43, of Peru, on July 24.
He was also indicted on charges of criminal operating under the influence and operating after revocation of his license. The indictment stated Brimage’s driver’s license had been revoked after he was convicted on Feb. 2 in Lewiston District Court of operating after revocation of his license.
Oxford County Superior Court Clerk Donna Howe said Wednesday that an arrest warrant for Brimage – requested by the grand jury – would be issued today.
Rumford Sgt. Tracey Higley said on the day of the wreck that Brimage was driving south on Route 108 when his 1990 Chrysler New Yorker went off the road at 7:07 a.m. The car severed a utility pole and hit a house owned by Jeff Theriault, 76, who heard the crash.
Both occupants of the car had to be extricated by rescue crews. Brimage was flown to a Lewiston hospital, but Steedley was pronounced dead at the scene, Higley said.
The Maine State police accident reconstruction report was presented to the grand jury Tuesday in Paris, said Detective Lt. Stacy Carter on Wednesday afternoon.
“Based on his intoxication level being more than the legal limit (a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent), that’s why he was charged with criminal OUI and vehicular manslaughter,” Carter said.
Howe said she expected that Brimage will be arraigned in Superior Court in January.
Pending conviction, a Class A crime has a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.
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