At least two of the four people injured in a fatal three-car crash in Windsor Thursday remained hospitalized on Friday.

Meanwhile, police continued to investigate the crash that claimed the life of 28-year-old Augusta resident Madison N. Martin.

Witnesses said Martin was driving in excess of 100 miles per hour as he swerved across Route 17, hitting another vehicle while passing on the right, before colliding with a van and an SUV.

Witnesses told police that a passenger in Martin’s car, a teenage girl police have not identified, was hitting Martin and trying to control the car by grabbing the steering wheel.

Police are still trying to determine the girl’s connection to Martin and why she was in the car with him.

Chief Deputy Everett Flannery of the Kennebec County Sheriff’s Office said Friday he did not know whether the girl — who is 17 and from Chelsea — was a member of Martin’s family.

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“I don’t know what the situation is right now,” he said. “We’re still investigating.”

Flannery said the teenage girl was critically injured in the crash and survived the overnight, but he did not know the girl’s condition Friday. She was taken by LifeFlight helicopter to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston following the Thursday morning crash.

Kennebec County Sheriff Randall Liberty said in a release on Thursday that speed and drugs were factors in the crash.

Flannery wouldn’t say why police believe drugs were involved or specify what kind of drugs are suspected. Flannery said Martin’s blood will be tested for chemicals as part of the investigation and police will interview everyone Martin had contact with during the 24 hours before the accident.

Police said Martin was speeding east in his 1989 Buick Reatta on Route 17 around 10:30 a.m. Thursday when he hit James Tasse’s 2004 Toyota Sienna Van from behind as the van was going the speed limit in the same direction. The Reatta then smashed head-on with a 2008 Toyota Highlander being driven by Richard Newcombe.

Peggy Newcombe, 62, of Whitefield, who was a passenger in Highlander, remained at Maine Medical Center in Portland, but an update on her condition was unavailable. She was listed in satisfactory condition at the emergency room there Thursday night.

Richard Newcombe, 63, was taken to CMMC with non life-threatening injuries. A hospital spokeswoman said Friday that Newcombe was no longer at the hospital, though it was not clear whether he had been discharged or transferred.

The third driver, Tasse, 49, of Cape Elizabeth was taken to MaineGeneral Medical Center in Augusta after the crash. A hospital spokeswoman said she didn’t know Tasse’s condition or whether he was still a patient at the hospital.

Craig Crosby — 621-5642
ccrosby@centralmaine.com


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