DENNYSVILLE – Harold Hawkes, a 35-year-old Charlotte man, was married on Friday, Oct. 13.

Saturday evening, he was killed in a single-car accident on U.S. Route 1.

“He was just starting to turn his life around,” said Lester Seeley of the Washington County Sheriff’s Department, who knew Hawkes and his family.

“He was doing really well. He and his two children had moved in with Jill, and everyone was getting along excellently.”

Seeley was one of five deputies who responded to the accident just before 9 p.m., in which Hawkes was ejected from his car.

He was driving west on Route 1 just below the Pembroke town line when he lost control on a sweeping curve in the road. His Pontiac Grand Am rolled over at least six times. He was declared dead at the scene.

Officers closed traffic on Route 1 for about two hours while debris was cleared.

Seeley, who knows many people from having worked in the area for 35 years, received a call from one of Hawkes’ friends in Dennysville after news of the accident hit the scanner.

“Harold was going to visit this friend whom he hadn’t seen in a long while,” Seeley said. “He wanted to tell him about the wedding. His wife was working [at the Morgan’s Irving store in Pembroke] that night, so she couldn’t go with him.

“When Harold didn’t show up after 45 minutes, the friend called me and asked if the accident could have been Harold. I was not in a position to tell him yes or no.”

Both Hawkes’ father and his new wife soon arrived at the accident.

“It is still under investigation,” said Cpl. Rodney Merritt, who was the lead investigator. “Speed would have to be one of the factors.”

Other deputies who assisted were John Fuller, John Rolfe and Aaron Wood. The Dennysville and Pleasant Point ambulance also responded, as well as an unidentified Pleasant Point officer.

Seeley called on Paula Frost, a first responder from Perry and a guidance counselor in Lubec, to help him notify Hawkes’ children, 15 and 13, on Saturday night.

Hawkes was employed at the True Value Hardware in Calais. He also cut meat for hunters on the side in Meddybemps.