Sorg to Lead State Effort on Violent Death Data Collection, BDN Reports

UMaine Alert

Posted: April 19, 2024 - 1:32 PM

At approximately 9:24 a.m. on Friday, April 19, a University of Maine graduate student was struck by a university vehicle on Long Road at the University of Maine campus in Orono. The student reports that they are at a local hospital with minor injuries.

Emergency services, including the Orono Fire Department, University Volunteer Ambulance Corps, University of Maine Police Department, Orono Police Department and Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene.

The university vehicle involved in the incident was a Chevrolet Express van. It was being operated by a university employee.

Counseling services and support are available for students, faculty or staff who may have been affected. The Counseling Center can be reached at 207-581-1392 and the Dean of Students Office can be reached at 207-581-1406.

The scene has been cleared and Long Road is now accessible. An investigation is being conducted by the University of Maine Police Department with assistance from the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office Crash Reconstruction Unit. Any witnesses to the incident are encouraged to contact Lt. Noel Santiago at noel.santiago@maine.edu.

October 22, 2014 Research, UMaine in the News

The Bangor Daily News reported the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has awarded almost $1 million to Maine to help pay for gathering data on violent deaths using the National Violent Death Reporting System over the next five years. The grant will allow the state to compile information about the relationships between domestic abuse, homicide and suicide, according to the article. The data will supplement the work of groups such as the Domestic Abuse Homicide Review Panel, which examines domestic abuse homicides to understand how the deaths can be prevented. Marcella Sorg, a forensic anthropologist for the state and a research professor at the University of Maine, is leading the effort with Margaret Greenwald, the recently retired chief medical examiner. The two doctors previously analyzed drug death statistics, and their work has been nationally recognized and has provided information to guide Maine drug policy decisions, the article states. WABI (Channel 5) also reported on the study.