PARIS – The mother of a 9-year-old boy thrown from his ATV after it was hit by a car has been summoned to court on two charges related to the crash.

Kathleen Roberti’s arraignment at the Oxford County District Court is set for Nov. 16. She’s been charged with allowing a person under 10 to operate an ATV and cited with a Title 12 violation dealing with ATV use, according to police Sgt. Michael Dailey. These types of civil violations carry a penalty of a fine of up to $500, according to state law.

Dailey said police identified as many as nine possible violations linked to the crash, such as operating an unregistered ATV, but pointed out that some would have required police to charge the boy, and they didn’t want to do that.

The boy’s grandmother, Gertrude Burgess, said Kathleen Roberti is away until Monday and couldn’t be reached by telephone.

Burgess said her grandson Albert Roberti is recovering from his injuries, but is in a wheelchair and cannot go to school. His hip, leg and a shoulder are fractured, she said. He might have to undergo more operations.

“I’m not sure how long he has had an ATV, but I heard from neighbors that he has been driving all summer long,” police Chief David Verrier said.

On Aug. 31, Roberti was crossing Elm Hill Road on his child-sized ATV when Raymond Walker hit him with his 2006 Chevy Silverado truck as he drove along the road. Walker lives at 702 Elm Hill Road. Walker did not return a phone call Wednesday.

Verrier, however, suggested he likely never saw Roberti.

“It’s coming from a hill on a downslope on a curve,” Verrier said of the roadway. “Plus there is a large Dumpster by the road, and the ATV, it’s a small ATV, it sits low to the ground.”

Roberti was hit in front of his home as he left the driveway at 570 Elm Hill Road a little before 6 p.m. He was rushed to Stephens Memorial Hospital and then transported by helicopter to Maine Medical Center in Portland.

Verrier said not only was the boy driving unsupervised, but his helmet was too large and not fastened correctly.

Dailey said the helmet was knocked off of Roberti’s head by the crash’s impact.

Verrier said defects also were found on the ATV, including front brakes that did not work because the cable was not fastened.

The boy’s parents were home at the time of the accident, Verrier said.


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