Driver charged in crash that claimed 3 lives in Acadia

BAR HARBOR, Maine (AP) — Law enforcement officials have charged a driver with manslaughter following a crash that killed three passengers in Maine’s Acadia National Park.

Federal court documents indicate 28-year-old Praneeth Manubolu, of Edgewater, New Jersey, acknowledged spending Friday night drinking in downtown Bar Harbor before driving onto national park property. His vehicle crashed early Saturday on the Park Loop Road.

Documents indicate Manubolu dialed 911 after his car crashed into a tree. All three of his passengers died at the scene. Park officials identified them Tuesday as 36-year-old Lenny Fuchs, 30-year-old Laura Leong and 27-year-old Zeeshan Mohammed, all of New York City.

Manubolu, who’s charged with three counts of manslaughter, was ordered detained Tuesday until a Sept. 10 detention hearing. His lawyer didn’t immediately return a message.

MORE: Court documents state Manubolu made “spontaneous admissions” to police after the crash that he had been out drinking earlier with his friends and believed the speed limit of 35 mph was “too fast for the roadway.” The speed limit was 25 mph where he crashed.@newscentermaine pic.twitter.com/fmLbwyEsKE

— Samantha Sugerman (@SugerMAINENEWS) September 3, 2019