Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-11-23
FINED FOR RECKLESS
DRIVING AS RESULT
SUNDAY NIGHT CRASH

AS the result OF q DdQ ACCIDENT Oh
lower State street late Sunday night,
in which two cars were badly dam
aged though without injury to any of
the passengers or either driver, AL
ton e. keene of HalloWell, was
found guilty of reckless driving
when arraigned before Judge Robert
A. Cony in Augusta Municipal court,
Monday morning, and was sentenced
to pay a fine of $50 and costs of $40
additional or to serve 80 days in the
county Jail. The court also an
nounced that recommendation would
be made to the Secretary Of State
for revocation of the respondents
operators license.
Testifying that as a result of his
Investigations. he believed the case
the most fragrant one Of reckless
operation of an automobile within
his experience, Officer John E.
Marks Of the State Highway Police
told the court that the Stephens car
operated by Keene had proceeded
a distance of nearly $50 feet beyond
the point of collision, with the left
front wheel stripped to the hub and
the right front wheel badly "dished"
and only stopped when it struck a
tree. The left rear wheel Of the
Ford coupe owned by Maynard
Young of this city and operated by
Russell Barrows of Brunswick, was
found between two buildings over
100 feet from the scene of the crash,
while the left mud guards were
thrown distance of 81 feet.
Mr.. Young told the court that
with Mr.. Barrows as companion, he
was returning to Augusta at about
1870 Sunday night, and as they
proceeded over the grade just south
of the A. & K. car barn on State
street, they observed the oncoming
lights of an automobile. Mr.. Bar
rows turned his car to the extreme
right of the highway and nearly in
to the ditch but the approaching car
continued directly toward them at a
very fast rate of speed, and when it
struck the light Ford coupe, it was
thrown into the air and turned COM
pletely around and over onto it's side
in the ditch. Mr.. Young found him
self standing with one foot on one
door with his toes against the other.
The driver of the Ford car, Mr..
Barrows testified that as they topped
the grade on lower State street they
were proceeding at less than 20
miles per hour, and as he turned to
the side of the road to avoid the ap-
preaching car he brought the ma
chine practically to a stop. State
Highway Policeman Leon Shepherd
gave further evidence concerning
measurements made at the scene of
the accident yesterday morning.
Keene took the stand in his own
defense and testified that he was
driving about 80 miles per hour
when the accident occurred. He told
the court that he was blinded by the
headlights of the Ford and that he
believed that only one of the brakes
functioned properly, having a ten
dency to turn the Stephens machine
he was operating toward the left.
The respondent said he was accom-
panied by young lady, whom it Is
understood was Miss Hazel Belyea,
of Hallowell. 1t was also believed
that another young man and young
lady were in the car driven by
Keene, but when questioned on that
point, Mr.. Keene declared that there
was no second couple.
On questions by the court 1t de-
veloped that because of some pre-
vious incident. an operators license
had been denied Mr.. Keene in 1924
The car ne was driving Sunday
night was the property of Ralph
Wood of Hallowell. After sentence
had been pronounced, Mr.. Keene
made arrangements to pay the fine
and costs.