ROCKLAND — A Rockport man pleaded guilty March 18 to manslaughter and aggravated criminal operating under the influence for a fatal hit-and-run car accident that killed a pedestrian on Jan. 30, 2015.

Jeremy Stone, 42, of Rockport, appeared before Justice William Stokes in Knox County Unified Court and entered a guilty plea for the death of Daniel Cormier, of Owls Head, who was 35 years old at the time he was killed while walking along Camden Street (Route 1) around 5:30 p.m., at which point it was dark and raining.

Assistant District Attorney Jeffrey Baroody confirmed that the prosecution and defense and had reached a plea bargain, which included a 10-year prison sentence with all but a cap of three years suspended, and four years of probation. The defense will have the opportunity to argue for a decreased prison sentence at the sentencing hearing April 28, when a judge will approve a final sentence.

Stone was represented by Brunswick attorneys Andrew Wright and Jonathan Handleman.

Stone was accused of driving while intoxicated when he struck Cormier, while he was walking along Camden Street in the vicinity of Pizza Hut. Stone fled the scene, and continuing drive south toward downtown Rockland. Two people walking with Cormier were not injured.

After Rockland Police and EMS arrived on scene, Cormier was taken to Pen Bay Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

According to the affidavit, Rockland Police officer Scott Redmun responded to the accident, and was reportedly told at the scene that the vehicle that hit Cormier was silver in color, traveling south, that it did not stop after striking the pedestrian and continued into downtown.

Redmun said in the court document that he was approached on scene by a woman who stated she knew who was driving the vehicle. The woman told Redmun that she had received a call from Stone, her ex-husband, and during the conversation he told her the he "messed up and might have hit someone on Camden Street."

"[She] also said that Jeremy was in no shape to drive tonight," said Redmun in the document.

Redmun also learned that Stone was at a residence in Rockland, with the vehicle involved.

Rockland Sgt. Don Finnegan and Detective Russ Thompson went to the residence, and saw that a light colored Jeep was in the driveway with fresh front end damage around the passenger side headlight.

The officers were met at the door and invited in, and Stone was standing in the living room. Finnegan sat down with Stone and the two talked, according to the document.

According to Finnegan, Stone said he had left his home in Rockport, and was driving to his friend's home, when he struck something with his vehicle. Stone said he wasn't sure what he hit, and that visibility was poor due to the rain. Stone said that he drove off, instead of staying at the scene, because he panicked.

Stone also admitted that the registration plates on the vehicle were illegally attached.

According to the court document, Stone also admitted that he had consumed three rum and ginger ale mixed drinks prior to the crash, and said he hadn't consumed any alcohol since the crash. He also said he is prescribed and regularly takes suboxone and klonopin, according to the court document.

"I asked Stone to rate how sober he felt on a scale from one to ten, with one feeling perfectly sober, and ten feeling falling down drunk. Stone said that he felt all right to drive earlier, and rated his sobriety then at a two or three. Stone said that he felt more sober now than he did earlier when he drove," said the court document.

This question and answer came after Finnegan wrote that he noted Stone's speech was slow, and that he could smell a strong odor of an alcohol while speaking with Stone. The officer said that Stone's performance on tests for impairment indicated he was impaired. He also said he saw signs consistent with cannabis use, and when asked about it, Stone allegedly admitted consuming marijuana laced candy four days prior to the accident.

Stone was arrested and transported to Knox County Jail. A breath test at the jail revealed his breath alcohol content to be .09 percent. Blood and urine specimens were also collected for evidence, according to the court document.

Stone was charged with aggravated criminal operating under the influence, class B, leaving the scene, class C, and improper plates, class E.

Related story:

• UPDATED: Pedestrian identified in Rockland hit and run, driver held on $11,000 bail

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