Head-On Crash on Route 196 at Merrymeeting Bridge Kills Passenger, Injures Two

A Volvo SUV driven by 26-year-old Lacey Wiles of Hermon crossed the centerline on Route 196 at the Merrymeeting Bridge in Topsham and struck a GMC pickup head-on at 10:38 p.m. on Oct. 4, 2025, according to the Topsham Police Department. Wiles’ passenger, 23-year-old Marcus Steinman of Topsham, was taken to a hospital and later pronounced dead, and the pickup’s driver, 34-year-old Joseph Lemont of Bowdoin, suffered serious injuries.

Topsham police and local media reported that both Joseph Lemont and Lacey Wiles were seriously injured in the collision and taken for treatment; WMTW and NewsCenterMaine identified Maine Medical Center as a destination for the injured. WGAN reported that Marcus Steinman was taken to Mid Coast Hospital in Brunswick and later pronounced dead there. The preliminary investigation found one vehicle crossed the centerline, a fact investigators linked to the vehicle driven by Wiles as they reconstructed the scene.

On Feb. 13, 2026, a Sagadahoc County grand jury returned an indictment against Wiles. The Topsham Police Department posted an update on Feb. 14, 2026 at 1:00 PM that said, in part, "On February 13, 2026, a Sagadahoc County Grand Jury indicted Lacey Wiles (12/28/99) of Hermon on the following charges: Manslaughter Class A; Aggravated Assault Class A; OUI Causing Death Class B; Aggravated Driving to Endanger Class C; OUI Causing Injury Class B." The department statement says Wiles was taken into custody Feb. 13 by the Maine State Police and transported to the Penobscot County Jail, where she is being held on a $50,000 cash bail; some media outlets separately reported she was being held at a Bangor jail, but the police release names Penobscot County Jail.

Topsham Police said the department worked with Maine State Police and spent months investigating the Oct. 4 crash. A reconstructionist from the Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office is assisting the investigation. The Bangor Daily News reported that investigators focused on whether speed or impairment were factors during that months-long review. Anyone with information is asked to contact Officer Lucas Shirland at 207-725-4337.

The Topsham Police Department's social media update recorded community engagement and limited comments on the post; the capture of the department’s post showed 298 reactions and 81 shares. The department closed its release with an expression of sympathy signed by Chief Marc R. Hagan: "The men and women of the Topsham Police Department continue to express our condolences to everyone that has been both directly and indirectly effected by this tragedy." Chief Hagan’s office can be reached at (207) 725-4337 ext. 2201 for additional public information.

The crash remains under active investigation and the indictment begins a separate legal process in Sagadahoc County court. Local hospitals, law enforcement and community leaders in Topsham and Brunswick continue to contend with the sudden loss and the serious injuries sustained in the collision on Route 196 at the Merrymeeting Bridge.