LEWISTON, ME — A driver who crashed into a residence last year, killing one passenger and injuring another, has been sentenced to serve 5.5 years in prison.
Blaze Small was sentenced Tuesday in Androscoggin County Superior Court to 21 years, with all but 5.5 years suspended, followed by four years of probation.
Small was taken into custody immediately following sentencing.
On May 21, Lewiston Police responded to a serious motor vehicle crash at 816 Webster Road involving a 2017 BMW that had left the roadway and struck a residence, causing extensive damage.
Small lost control of the vehicle and became trapped inside following the crash.
A front seat passenger, Natasha Thoits, 28, was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Another passenger sustained injuries and was transported to Central Maine Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.
The sentence includes convictions for manslaughter, aggravated OUI resulting in death, aggravated OUI resulting in serious bodily injury, aggravated driving to endanger, criminal speed and reckless conduct.
Small was traveling 103 mph in a 35 mph zone at the time of the crash.
The manslaughter conviction carries a 21-year sentence with 5.5 years to serve and four years probation.
The aggravated OUI convictions each carry five-year concurrent sentences, $2,100 fines and license suspensions of eight years and six years respectively.
The aggravated driving to endanger conviction carries a five-year concurrent sentence, a $575 fine and a two-year license suspension.
The reckless conduct conviction carries a five-year sentence, all suspended, with two years probation to run consecutively.
The investigation involved patrol officers, the Criminal Investigations Division and accident reconstruction personnel in coordination with the Androscoggin County District Attorney’s Office.
