Officials have charged a 93-year-old man from Eastbrook in connection with a car crash in Ellsworth that killed his wife last winter.
Oscar Weigang was charged on Friday with a misdemeanor of driving to endanger and a civil charge of a motor vehicle violation resulting in death. The charge was filed by the Ellsworth Police Department after the Hancock County District Attorney’s Office reviewed the case, police said.
Hancock County District Attorney Robert Granger said Monday that he could not comment on evidence.
“The devastating loss of Mr. Weigang’s wife makes this incident a particularly difficult situation, which was considered in the charging decision,” Granger said.
He declined further comment.
The crash occurred on Dec. 18 as Weigang was driving a 2009 Honda car south on Water Street and his wife, Betty Weigang, rode in the front passenger seat, according to police. Oscar Weigang was driving “above the speed limit,” according to the crash report, when he swerved to avoid a car that was stopped while waiting to turn left on Washington Street.
The speed limit where the crash occurred is 25 mph. The report did not specify how fast Weigang was allegedly driving.
Oscar Weigang veered the car to the right, driving between two utility poles and striking a guide wire before colliding with a car that was waiting at a stop sign to leave the city’s harbor park and marina. Weigang’s car then jumped a curb and crossed a section of grass and struck a car parked at the Union River Center for Innovation before rolling to a stop, police said. Debris from the Honda’s collision with the car waiting to leave the harbor park struck two other unattended vehicles parked at the same building.
Betty Weigang passed away from injuries three days later, according to her obituary.
