Turner woman killed in crash on Route 4 in Turner

A utility pole beside Route 4 in Turner was replaced Friday after it was snapped in a fatal car crash. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal

TURNER — An 18-year-old local woman was killed and two Auburn men were injured when the car they were riding in struck a utility pole and rolled over beside Route 4 early Friday morning, authorities said.

The female passenger, who was identified as Julie Beaucage, died at the scene, Chief Deputy William Gagne of the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office said.

The driver, Spencer Dowd, 19, and passenger Keegan Pelletier, 19, both of Auburn, were trapped in the vehicle and had to be extricated by Turner Fire Department, Gagne said.

They were taken to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston.

Gagne said a deputy was parked on Route 4 when a 2006 4-door Honda Accord went by at about 2:50 a.m. at a high rate of speed, passing other vehicles. The deputy attempted to catch up with the car with lights and siren on, but it failed to pull over. The car continued south and nearly struck a Maine State Police trooper’s vehicle, which was traveling north, according to Gagne.

Before the deputy or trooper could catch the speeding car, its driver lost control by North Shore Drive and the car went off the east side of the highway, striking and breaking a utility pole, then rolled over.

Route 4 from Route 117 to Route 219 was closed to traffic due to downed power lines and for accident reconstruction. Assisting at the scene were Maine State Police, Lewiston Police Department, Turner Fire and Rescue departments, Auburn Fire Department and LifeFlight.

The crash remains under investigation, Gagne wrote.

Northbound traffic is stopped Friday morning on Route 4 at the Northland Mall in Turner following a fatal car crash near North Shore Road. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal