AUBURN, Maine — A farm that hosted a Halloween-themed hayride and its driver were indicted Wednesday in a crash that killed a teenage girl and injured more than a dozen passengers.
A grand jury leveled manslaughter charges against Harvest Hills Farm Inc. and driver David Brown in the crash, which claimed the life of 17-year-old Cassidy Charette. Another 20 people were hurt during the hayride in Mechanic Falls in October.
District Attorney Andrew Robinson made the announcement of the charges after the panel wrapped up its work Wednesday. It was the third time grand jurors were convened to consider charges in the case.
The dead teenager’s parents, Monica and Randy Charette, of Oakland, said they respected the legal process.
“We understand there are many people who are angry and want some sort of ‘justice to be served,'” they said in a statement. “We do believe that if investigators and prosecutors deem that a person is criminally responsible, then appropriate charges should be pursued. People should be held accountable for the decisions they make that affect the health and safety of others.”