Teens’ tweets give a glimpse into circumstances preceding Rangeley crash: The Sunday evening accident that critically injured a Massachusetts teenager was preceded by Twitter postings.

RANGELEY — A Massachusetts teenager in Maine for a graduation celebration was critically injured Sunday night when the car she was a passenger in rolled over at the bottom of Dodge Pond Hill on Route 4, police Chief Dennis Leahy said Monday.

Two others Massachusetts teens were injured in the 6:06 p.m. crash.

Front-seat passenger Janessa Gordon, 18, of Melrose, Mass., who was not wearing a seat belt, was critically injured, Leahy said. She was flown to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston. The hospital was not allowed to release any information on Gordon per the family.

Marilenis Waldron, 17, of Saugus, Mass., was driving west on Route 4 and saw a car with a friend in it, Leahy said. Waldron tried to pass the other car and lost control on a curve at the bottom of the hill, he said. The car landed on its roof.

One of three passengers in the back of the car, whose name was not immediately available, was ejected from the vehicle, Leahy said. Waldron and that injured passenger were taken by ambulance to Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington. They were expected to be treated and released for minor injuries, he said.

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The names of the other two passengers were not immediately available.

According to accident reconstructionists, the vehicle was traveling at approximately 90 miles an hour when the crash took place, Leahy said.

Waldron, who was wearing a seat belt, was issued a summons on a felony charge of driving to endanger, the chief said. The 2006 Mazda 3 she was driving is registered to her mother, Sandra Waldron of Saugus, Mass. It was destroyed in the accident, Leahy said.

 When police went to a rented house where the young people were staying on Deer Meadow Lane, there were more than 20 people there for graduation weekend with no adult supervision, Leahy said. They were graduates of Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational School in Wakefield, Mass.

Police found an 18-year-old man from Reading, Mass., had overdosed on drugs, Leahy he said. He was taken to Franklin Memorial Hospital by a NorthStar EMS ambulance. He admitted to eating brownies with marijuana in them, Leahy said.

At 10 p.m. Saturday, Gordon tweeted, “Have a wicked bad feeling I’ll be in a jail cell by the end of the night.” It was one of several tweets that appear to come from a group of friends who arrived Saturday in Maine. 

For example, Hailey Murphy of Wakefield, Mass., tweeted at 4:28 a.m., “Still have yet to go to bed.” Early Saturday, Murphy tweeted, “‘: Marilenis just crashed and we didn’t even leave Saugus yet … This should be interesting’ were (sic) gonna die.” Later she tweeted, “This car ride will be the death of me.”

Rangeley police Sgt. Jared Austin was assisted at the scene by Leahy and Officer Ron Wood. U.S. Border Patrol, state police, game wardens, and Rangeley firefighters also assisted at the scene. Franklin County Sheriff’s Department deputies reconstructed the accident.

dperry@sunjournal.com


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