LEWISTON, ME — A 27-year-old local man was sentenced to 5 1/2 years in prison on October 3 in connection with a fatal 2025 crash.
Blaze Smalls of Lewiston received a 21-year sentence, with 15 1/2 years suspended, after being convicted of charges including manslaughter and driving while intoxicated. He was driving a 2017 BMW when he crashed into a residence at the intersection of Old Lisbon Road, Old Webster Road, and Webster Street.
The May 21 wreck resulted in the death of 28-year-old Natasha Thoits of Lewiston, who was pronounced dead at the scene after being trapped in the vehicle. A third passenger sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Smalls suffered minor injuries.
The crash also displaced 86-year-old Claudette Dumont, who was asleep in her home at the time. Her daughter reported that Dumont narrowly avoided serious injury.
Authorities conducted a lengthy investigation, reconstructing the crash scene before arresting Smalls in July 2025. In addition to manslaughter and driving while intoxicated, he was convicted of aggravated driving to endanger, criminal speed, and reckless conduct.
Smalls has a prior history of vehicular incidents, including a November 2017 arrest for crashing into the Margaret Murphy Center for Children in Auburn after eluding police.
Emergency services responded promptly, and the investigation into the incident was extensive, according to officials.