More Details on Crash that Killed Deputy Luke Gross

More details are coming out about the tragic events that took the life of 44-year-old Hancock County Sheriff’s Deputy Luke Gross on Thursday, September 23, 2021.

Deputy Gross went to the scene of a crash on Route 3 in Trenton around 4:30 a.m. on Thursday. The scene was near the Ellsworth town line.

According to Shannon Moss, Public Information Officer, Maine Department of Public Safety, the driver of the crashed vehicle had left the scene in his vehicle before Deputy Gross arrived.

Deputy Gross was parked in his cruiser in the west bound breakdown lane with his emergency lights on. He was wearing a high visibility traffic vest when he got out of his vehicle to investigate the crash.

He was struck by a small pick-up truck at approximately 5:15 in the morning as he was cleaning up some of the debris in the road.

Deputy Luke Gross was pronounced dead at the scene.

Moss said the driver of the pick up that hit him has been “fully cooperating with the investigation.” At this time, no charges are expected to be filed.

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Additional details on the driver who fled the scene came out on Friday from the Public Information Officer, Maine Department of Public Safety.

The Maine State Police located the driver a short distance away on Route 3 around 9:00 a.m. Thursday morning. 20-year-old Thorin Smith from Bar Harbor, Maine was sleeping in his car when officials located him, said Moss.

He was charged with “leaving the scene of an accident, illegal use of drug paraphernalia and illegal possession of alcohol by a minor.”