11/22/05-Sen. Bill Diamond, D-Windham, and Rep. Darlene Curley, R-Scarborough, unveiled legislation Monday, Nov. 21, that would allow harsher penalties for multiple driving offenses, including longer license suspensions and jail time.
The effort is in response to a fatal accident this summer on Interstate 95 in Hallowell, ME, involving a tractor-trailer and a car. Trucker Scott Hewitt is blamed for the crash that killed 40-year-old Tina Turcotte of Scarborough, ME, on July 29.
After the wreck, The Associated Press reported Hewitt has 63 driving convictions and 22 suspensions in Maine and other states. He also had been involved in a previous fatal accident.
Hewitt’s Maine license and registration were both under suspension at the time of the July accident, and there were outstanding warrants for his arrest, the Portland Press Herald reported.
Diamond said more than 8,000 drivers in the state have at least 15 license suspensions, and more than 44,000 have had their licenses suspended five to nine times.
His proposal would require drivers caught with a suspended license to have their vehicles impounded for the duration of the suspension. Drivers with repeated suspensions in a three-year period would have their license revoked for a period ranging from one to 10 years, and could be sent to jail if caught driving during that time.
It would also mandate jail time and fines up to $5,000 for repeat offenders, and raise the penalties for people driving on a suspended license who are involved in an accident that causes injury or death.
The legislation will be discussed during the regular legislative session that begins in January.

8/31/05-A working group recently formed by Gov. John Baldacci to reduce the number of dangerous drivers on Maine’s roads is asking for input from the public.
The group issued an interim report Monday, Aug. 29, outlining immediate actions and near-term actions to reduce the number of bad drivers in the state.
“This report is an important first step,” Baldacci said in a written statement. “We have more to do. I look forward to working with the Legislature to enact tougher laws, and we soon expect new tools for communities and law enforcement to help with prevention.”
The group met in response to a recent fatal accident on Interstate 95 in Hallowell, ME, involving a tractor-trailer and a car.
Trucker Scott Hewitt is blamed for the crash that killed 40-year-old Tina Turcotte of Scarborough, ME, on July 29.
After the wreck, the Portland Press Herald reported Hewitt has 63 driving convictions and 23 suspensions in Maine and other states.
Hewitt’s Maine license and registration were both under suspension at the time of the accident, and there were outstanding warrants for his arrest, the newspaper reported.
The governor has asked public interest organizations, law enforcement, trade associations and the public to provide comments on the group’s report, which is available at www.maine.gov/governor/baldacci/issues/DangerousDriverReport.html.
Those who would like to comment on the report should do so by sending e-mail to governor@maine.gov or by writing to Gov. Baldacci at 1 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333-0001.