A Lubec woman died in a single‑vehicle accident during the early November snowstorm that paralyzed much of the state. Danielle D. Moores, 28, died at the scene when her vehicle, a 2002 Ford F‑250, flipped over and landed in five feet of water alongside State Route 189 in Trescott. The accident, termed a "storm death" by the Maine Department of Public Safety, occurred at approximately 6:30 p.m., about 3.3 miles east of the Whiting Corner, on November 2. Maine State Trooper Staci Carpenter responded, assisted by members of the Lubec Fire Department, Downeast EMS and Randy Hall Towing. A small white teddy bear held vigil on the nearby culvert Tuesday morning, after most of the snow and ice had melted. The words "we love you Danielle" were printed on the bear.
     Carpenter's report states that Moores "appeared to have lost control of the vehicle," and that weather conditions were "poor at the time with snow, sleet and rain." Lubec firefighter Randy Hall, who responded to the incident, says "I didn't get the truck over 25 miles per hour," fearing losing control on the icy road surface. "It was a mess out there."
     At the point where the vehicle left the road, tire tracks lead to a pool of water adjacent to a 48 inch culvert carrying Finnegan's Creek, a tributary to Whiting Bay. Carpenter, in a telephone interview, said that the water depth was provided by Lubec fire personnel. The culvert is not protected by a guard rail. Whether the stream was at an elevated state because of the recent rain was not determined at the time.
     Trescott resident Julie Keene echoed Hall's concerns about road conditions. Speaking during the public comment period at the Lubec Select Board meeting on November 6, she pointed out that she owns property on both sides of the road in the area where the accident occurred. "Since I've lived there, there's been 11 accidents," Keene said. "I was there," she said, speaking of the November 2 recovery efforts. She questioned the adequacy of the equipment used for clearing the road of snow and ice during the storm, saying that there were concerns about the safety of the emergency crew members because the plowing equipment was "all over the road," and asked that the select board send a letter to the county commissioners regarding maintenance and clearing operations.
     Residents have questioned why an earlier guard rail protecting the site had not been replaced. Lubec Select Board member and Lubec native Heather Lee stated that she recalled that the site had previously been protected by an older style barrier, but that subsequent to roadway improvements "sometime in the early 90s" had not been reinstalled. Lee suggested that the locations of the posts are no longer visible as they now are covered by the road surface.
     During the same select board meeting, the board resolved to send a letter to Maine Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner David Bernhardt asking for the reinstallation of guard rails. The letter acknowledges that the culvert is in Trescott but that residents of Lubec and Campobello have no choice but to travel that road. Trescott is located in the Unorganized Territories, thus it lacks a municipal panel empowered to make such a request.
     A call was made to DOT Press Secretary Ted Talbot on November 6, in an attempt to determine what state regulations mandate regarding protective barriers. Talbot, who had been informed of the accident, stated that he "needed to research the question" before responding. As of the deadline for this article, the requested information has not been provided.
     Several hundred local residents, friends and family members gathered on November 8 for the open‑casket viewing held at the American Legion Post 65 hall in Lubec, with vehicles parked along both sides of Route 189. A benefit is planned for Saturday, November 22, at the Lubec school at 1 p.m. For up‑to‑date information about the benefit, visit the Facebook page "Benefit for Danielle Moores Family," or contact Charlotta Farmer at 263‑7439. "I want to keep the event upbeat, because that's how Danielle was, very upbeat," says Farmer, who pointed out that plans had not been finalized but may include music.
     In an e-mail exchange, Natasha Robinson, Moore's sister, wrote "The family extends their sincere thanks, appreciation and gratitude to all friends and well‑wishers for the calls, visits, time, resources, cards, flowers, etc. during this difficult time. A very special thank you to John McClure, Pastor Rob Green, Pastor Tony Muniz, officers and emergency personnel."