Alton Teen Dies in Weekend Crash
3/8/10
Reported By Nok-Noi Ricker
Bangor Daily News Staff
UPDATE BDN writer Meg Haskell contributed to this report.
ALTON, Maine — Cody Hamm, 16, was heading home when his car went off the side of Bennoch Road late Sunday and he crashed into a pine tree. The teenager, a junior and an honor student at Old Town High School, was pronounced dead at the scene, Sgt. William Birch of the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Department said Monday morning. “It appears the vehicle left the side of the roadway, went airborne and struck the tree on its roof,” he said. “It was almost upside down.” A motorist reported the crash to police at 10:25 p.m., Birch said, adding Hamm was alone in his white 2000 Saturn. “He was a short distance from his home,” he said. “He was heading home.”
The crash happened near Happy Acres about 4½ miles north of Interstate 95. Bennoch Road, also known as Route 16, was closed to traffic between 10:30 p.m. Sunday and around 3 a.m. Monday, while investigators collected evidence and reconstructed the scene. “It appears at this initial stage [of the investigation] that speed may be a contributing factor,” Birch said. “We’re still trying to figure out contributing factors — what led to this accident.” Investigators think Hamm was not wearing a seat belt, Birch said, and alcohol and drugs were not involved in the crash. Several rumors are circulating that need to be dispelled, he said.
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Although this was a single car accident, recovery for the family of the decedent may be possible. The product liability team at Berman & Simmons has successfully recovered against major auto manufacturers in one-car accidents where a defective or dangerous condition of the car caused or contributed to the accident. In this case, there may be a question of medical advice or malpractice if the accident was caused by a treatable medical condition or reaction to a prescription medication. For more information, contact Berman & Simmons at 1-800-244-3576 or read more on our website on our car accident practice page.