In a tragic sequence of events on April 2, 2025, 47-year-old Christine Smith of Sabattus, Maine, was fatally shot while driving her vehicle. The perpetrator was her 29-year-old son, James Davis III, who was a passenger in the car at the time. The incident occurred around 4:14 p.m. at the intersection of King Road and Middle Road. After shooting his mother, the vehicle she was driving traveled across Middle Road before coming to a stop.
Following the initial act of violence against his
mother, James Davis III exited the vehicle and began firing at passing cars. His indiscriminate shooting resulted in the death of 53-year-old Katherine Williams of Sabattus, who was struck by gunfire while driving. Two other drivers, 19-year-old Tyson Turner of Jay and 35-year-old David Wilson of Hartford, were also wounded in the attack. Both Turner and Wilson were transported to Central Maine Medical Center with injuries they were expected to survive. The chaotic scene ended when Davis took his own life.
According to law enforcement, Davis, who lived with his mother, had been at his father's house earlier in the day where family members noted he was acting erratically. He was reportedly armed with a. 357 revolver and an AK-47. His mother had been called to help calm him down. After she arrived, he left with her in her car, taking the firearms with him, which led to the fatal shooting. The investigation into the incident was handled by the Maine State Police. An obituary described Christine Smith as a loving mother to her three sons and a kind-hearted free spirit who enjoyed gardening, arts and crafts, and spending time with her family.
