A New Harbor man died at 6 p.m., Monday, May 26 from injuries sustained in a high-speed, single-vehicle accident in Damariscotta late Sunday, May 25. Police suspect alcohol was a factor in the crash.
Damariscotta Police Chief Ron Young confirmed the death of Deven L. Kear, 48.
Kear was driving a 1989 Chevrolet Camaro east on Biscay Road at a high rate of speed at about 11 p.m. when he lost control of the vehicle in the vicinity of 109 Biscay Road, Young said.
The vehicle slid off the road, rolled over and came to rest against a tree. The vehicle was totaled.
Damariscotta and Newcastle firefighters extricated Kear and a passenger, Tucker Phinney. The Central Lincoln County Ambulance Service transported Kear and Phinney to the Miles campus of LincolnHealth in Damariscotta.
A LifeFlight helicopter then flew Kear to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston, Young said. An ambulance transported Phinney to Maine Medical Center in Portland with apparently non-life-threatening injuries.
A spokeswoman for Maine Medical Center said she did not have a patient record for Phinney.
Phinney had been alert and answering questions at Miles, Young said. Phinney told police he and Kear were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash. A sheriff’s deputy had issued Kear a summons for a seat belt violation May 22, Young said.
“Alcohol was involved” in the crash, Young said.
