The Brunswick Police Department (BPD) arrested Holly Lorms, assistant coach of the women’s ice hockey team, around 10:45 p.m. Sunday night on suspicion that she had crashed her SUV while under the influence of alcohol, according to the Bangor Daily News.
Lorms’ Lexus SUV veered off of Sills Drive, crossed a divider—narrowly missing several trees—drove over a portion of the Polar Loop parking lot, struck a light post, and crashed into the east side of Druckenmiller Hall.
On Monday afternoon, dark black tire marks were visible on Sills Drive. A small section of bricks had been dislodged from the wall of Druckenmiller Hall.
Lorms, Interim Athletic Director Tim Ryan, and women’s ice hockey Head Coach Marissa O’Neil all declined comment.
Two students studying in the atrium of Druckenmiller Hall heard the impact when Lorms crashed into the building not far away from them.
“I heard a loud thud. I didn’t check on it. It startled me, but it sounded exactly like a dump truck dumping in garbage,” said one of the students, a senior. “Probably about five minutes later, I see two cop cars pull up; their lights are flashing. So I go out to see what was going on and I see this girl about our age.”
One student said the woman who got out of the car looked disoriented. Both students heard Lorms say that she had reacted to a pedestrian walking in front of her car. The skid marks on Sills Drive begin just after a crosswalk.
Ambulances arrived on the scene shortly after the crash. Lorms went into an ambulance but emerged almost immediately to take what appeared to be a field sobriety test.
“Things got heated when she had to perform the—whatever you call it—the line, the heel-to-toe test,” said one student on the scene. “And then the officer started what seemed to be yelling at her, chastising her, definitely elevated voice. And then she was handcuffed.”
Deputy Chief Mark Hagan of the BPD said that the officers who responded were immediately suspicious that Lorms was under the influence of alcohol.
“When the officers were talking to her—after rescue looked at her—they were suspicious that there could be a potential of her being under the influence,” he said. “After she was medically cleared they began talking to her further.”
Lorms submitted to a Breathalyzer test, but the BPD cannot release the results. She posted bail and has a court date on April 2 at the West Bath District Court.
There is no indication of whether or not Lorms will continue in her role with the women’s ice hockey team.
In April 2010, Assistant Baseball and Football Coach Trevor Powers ’06 was arrested for operating under the influence on Coffin Street. Powers did not coach either the football or baseball teams the following season.
Toph Tucker contributed to this report.