On Sunday, October 12, 2025, at approximately 8:49 a.m., Maine State Police responded to an accident at the intersection of Poplar Lane and Washington Junction Road in the town of Hancock. The collision involved two vehicles and resulted in injuries to multiple people, temporarily shutting down a section of Washington Junction Road.
According to a preliminary investigation, Katrina Springer, 35, of Ellsworth, took a left turn from Poplar Lane onto Washington Junction Road and crashed her Kia into a Jeep driven by Amy Richards, 43, also of Ellsworth. Springer was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, and the four passengers in her Kia were also transported to a local hospital with minor injuries.
Richards was charged with operating under the influence and operating after her license was revoked. The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office, Hancock Fire Department, Sullivan Fire Department, and DC Towing assisted at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.
Table of Contents
What Is the Charge of Operating After Revocation in Maine?
The charges against Richards involve two separate but related offenses, and it is worth understanding what each means for someone in her position.
An OUI charge in Maine means a person was operating a motor vehicle while their blood alcohol content was at or above 0.08%, or while otherwise impaired by alcohol or drugs. A conviction on a first-offense OUI carries a mandatory minimum $500 fine and a 150-day license suspension, though maximum penalties can include up to 364 days in jail and fines up to $2,000.
Operating after revocation is a separate criminal charge. It means the person was driving despite their license having already been revoked by the State. In Maine, this charge carries its own penalties independent of the OUI, and when the two are combined, the consequences become significantly more serious. A prior revocation on a driving record can also affect how the court treats the OUI charge, potentially influencing sentencing.
For anyone facing this combination of charges, having an attorney who understands both the criminal and administrative sides of Maine’s driving laws is not optional — it is essential.
When a Crash Is Involved, OUI Charges Become More Serious
An OUI arrest that follows a motor vehicle crash carries additional weight compared to a routine traffic stop. When other people are injured, as was the case in this Hancock incident, prosecutors typically treat the matter more aggressively. Injury to other parties can introduce aggravating factors into the OUI charge, which affect both the severity of the charge and the range of potential penalties.
In Maine, an OUI that results in serious bodily injury to another person can be elevated to a felony offense. Even when injuries are not life-threatening, the involvement of other victims gives prosecutors stronger motivation to pursue the case fully and makes the path to a reduced charge or dismissal more difficult without skilled legal representation.
That does not mean a defense is impossible. It means the defense has to be built carefully and early, looking at how the crash occurred, what evidence was collected, whether proper procedures were followed during the arrest and testing, and whether any constitutional issues exist with the stop or investigation.
Charged with OUI in Maine? Here Is What to Do Next
If you are facing OUI charges in Maine, whether connected to an accident or not, the decisions you make in the days immediately following your arrest matter significantly. Do not assume the evidence against you is conclusive. Do not assume a guilty plea is your only realistic option.
The Maine Criminal Defense Group defends clients across Hancock County and throughout the state. Attorney William T. Bly is a certified breath alcohol technician and a certified field sobriety testing instructor, giving him a level of technical expertise in OUI defense that is uncommon among defense attorneys in Maine. That knowledge translates directly into identifying weaknesses in the prosecution’s case, from how sobriety testing was administered to whether the initial stop was legally justified.
The sooner you contact an OUI defense attorney, the more options you have. Contact The Maine Criminal Defense Group today to schedule a confidential consultation.
Related Articles
An OUI case may be the only time that many people in Maine face the criminal justice process. It can be daunting, stressful, and deeply concerning for anyone who doesn’t[...]
OUI/DUI/DWI cases are often based on the results from approved screening devices, commonly referred to as “breathalyzers”. The question of whether these breath tests are accurate has commonly affected Operating[...]
The Maine Liquor Liability Act (MLLA) provides for the recovery of damages against anyone who negligently or recklessly “serves” alcohol to a minor. However, that might be just the start[...]
A conviction for an OUI/DUI/DWI in Maine is accompanied by serious consequences, including heavy financial repercussions. Understanding the court-imposed fines is one thing, but the financial consequences can extend well[...]
OUI cases in Maine usually start when a law enforcement officer pulls over a vehicle. From that point, many things can happen but if the officer even has a slight[...]
January 11th, 2025, in Skowhegan, Maine, a Maine Department of Transportation plow truck sustained a head-on collision caused by a drunk driver on Route 2, as reported by law enforcement.[...]
The tragic events of a fatal car crash in 2023 that claimed the lives of four young people have finally reached a pivotal legal outcome. Noelle Tavares, a former Maine[...]
In most states, there are many different places that the average person can take a driving course to satisfy court requirements as related to an DUI conviction. However, in the[...]
Defending against your 2nd OUI offense in Southern Maine Anyone charged with a 2nd OUI in Maine should expect little leniency from the criminal justice system. This makes it even[...]
A skilled defense against OUI Refusals Charges in Maine Did you know that it is a criminal offense to refuse to submit to a chemical test if lawfully requested to[...]
