Stoneham Man Dies in Fiery Maine Crash

NORWAY, ME—A Stoneham man is dead after a fiery high-speed collision in Norway, Maine late Friday night.

Maine State Police announced that William Stella, 38 of Stoneham died after a head-on collision that caused his car to burst into flames. The report indicates that an Oxford County deputy was pursuing Stella, but ended his pursuit before the accident occurred.

State Police also say that Stella was doing "360s/burnouts" in the parking lot of a Maine restaurant when he was pursued by police. Police also say that Stella had gotten into an altercation with staff at the restaurant because he was not allowed entry into the restaurant.

Police later pursued Stella, who was driving in the opposite lane of traffic at times and traveling at a high rate of speed. After notifying dispatch that he would not be able to safely stop the vehicle, he noticed an orange glow and proceeded to the scene of the accident.

It was later discovered that Stella's vehicle had crashed head-on to the vehicle of 42-year-old Jennifer Clough of Norway in the opposite lane of traffic. Both vehicles had caught fire, with Stella's vehicle being completely engulfed in flames. While police were able to extract Clough from her vehicle, they were not able to do the same for Stella who was pronounced dead at the scene.

Clough was life-flighted to an area hospital in critical condition.