AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — A jury has cleared a Maine man of a manslaughter charge stemming from an all-terrain vehicle crash that killed an 18-year-old.
The Kennebec Journal reports 23-year-old Alexander Biddle of Pittston never testified during the three-day trial in Augusta, and his defense did not call its own witnesses. He was charged in the 2015 death of passenger Halee Cummings in the driveway of her father’s home.
The jury returned to the courtroom with the verdict Thursday after about 90 minutes of deliberating.
Prosecutors said the crash was preceded by a string of Biddle’s bad decisions, including using alcohol and failing to use safety gear. They say the ATV rolled over, ended up in the driveway and catapulted Cummings into a tree.
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A defense attorney described the crash as “a tragic accident.”
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Information from: Kennebec Journal, http://www.kjonline.com/