WOODSTOCK — Oxford County deputies continue to investigate a fatal collision between a pickup truck and motorcycle June 15 on state Route 26 that claimed the life of an Oxford motorcyclist and seriously injured his passenger.
Motorcycle driver George Dunn, 61, died at a hospital from injuries he received in the crash, Major Dana Thompson said last month. Dunn’s passenger on the 2015 Harley Davidson, Lena Thibodeau, 50, also of Oxford, received serious injuries and was also taken to a hospital.
The driver of the pickup truck did not stop but was later identified with help from the public. The sheriff’s office has declined to release the driver’s name because they say threats have been made against the driver and the crash is still under investigation.
According to Thompson, the truck and a group of motorcyclists were traveling south on state Route 26 at the time of the accident. The pickup truck was traveling in the far-right lane on Merrifield Hill when the lead motorcycle attempted to pass the truck in the passing lane.
According to witnesses, the truck suddenly veered left into the same lane as the motorcycle and the motorcycle driver lost control, left the roadway and crashed into a wooded area.
“As a result of considerable threats toward the driver of the truck I have withheld the name for his/her safety,” Thompson wrote in an email. “There is concern regarding statements made that his/her life may be in danger once the info was released and people know the driver’s identity.”
The case will ultimately be reviewed by the Oxford County District Attorney’s Office and if the evidence supports a prosecution the case will move forward, he said.
“I would just like to recognize the public and their efforts to assist the Sheriff’s Office with the identification of the vehicle,” Thompson said Thursday. “We did successfully identify the driver and the very qualified investigators are diligently investigating the crash.”
Once the investigation is concluded, Thompson said, he will revisit the decision and determine if the office will release the driver’s identity.
