AUGUSTA (AP) – A van crash that killed one boy and hospitalized four others this summer was caused when the van’s driver fell asleep at the wheel, Maine State Police said Monday.

Lt. Wesley Hussey said the driver, 23-year-old Yehoshua Hoffman, fell asleep while driving the van that was filled with summer campers from Camp Seven Springs in Bethel, N.Y.

Gedalia Rosenblatt, 15, of Ramapo, N.Y., was killed in the crash, which occurred at 7 a.m. on Aug. 6 in Argyle Township 15 miles north of Bangor on Interstate 95.

The 15-passenger van had driven through the night after leaving New York, Hussey said.

The campers were coming to Maine to hike Mount Katahdin and canoe the Penobscot River.

Investigators were never able to talk to Hoffman, who sustained serious injuries in the crash and was transferred to an out-of-state facility. Hoffman was one of two counselors traveling with the boys, who were between 14 and 18.

All the van’s occupants were alseep at the time of the crash and the only likely cause was that Hoffman fell asleep as well, Hussey said.

An inspection of the van turned up no mechanical problems, and excessive speed and alcohol were ruled out as factors.

AP-ES-10-01-07 1138EDT

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