FARMINGTON — A Franklin County Superior Court jury has found a Lincoln man not guilty of manslaughter in a crash that killed a co-worker in 2007.

Ryan Hurd, 23, admitted to police that he was drunk when his Pontiac Grand Prix crashed and burned in New Vineyard, but he alleged that he was not driving the car.

However, Hurd was found guilty of a second charge, operating under the influence accomplice liability, for allowing another driver to operate his car while intoxicated.

Hurd’s manslaughter defense was that Terry “T.J.” Richardson Jr., 34, of Dover-Foxcroft was behind the wheel when the car, traveling at an estimated 98 mph, struck a utility pole and rolled over on Route 27 in the early-morning hours of Oct. 17, 2007

Richardson died in the crash.

Chad Bernier of Medway, who was 30 at the time, was trapped in the burning car and suffered serious injuries. Hurd was thrown from the vehicle.

The three men were working for a contractor on the Poland Spring Bottling Plant in Kingfield at the time. The jury of 10 women and two men deliberated for a day and a half before reaching their verdict at about 5:30 p.m.

 


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