'American Idol' Contestant Haley Smith Dies in Maine Motorcycle Accident at Age 26

Haley Smith, who wowed the judges during the 11th season ofAmerican Idolin 2012, died in a motorcycle crash in Maine this weekend. She was 26 years old.

The single-vehicle accident took place in the town of Millinocket at 2 a.m. on Saturday, the Millinocket Police Department confirms to PEOPLE. Smith was pronounced dead at the scene. “It would appear initially that she failed to negotiate a sharp turn and crashed,” the department told PEOPLE, adding that an investigation is pending. Smith’s father Mike told TMZ — which wasfirst to report the news— that his daughter was a skilled rider and speculates that a deer was the cause of the sudden swerve.

Smith auditioned in Colorado during season 11, when she impressed the judges with a folk-tinged version of the funky Rufus & Chaka Khan classic, “Tell Me Something Good.” Despite making it to the Hollywood round, she was ultimately sent home.

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During her initial appearance, Smith, then 18, spoke at length about her love of nature — “It’s where I feel more at peace, you could say.” — and her many jobs as a house cleaner, restaurant buser and “a vegetarian working in the meat department.”

source: people.com