Newburgh, ME — August 20, 205, one person was killed in a truck accident at about 11:55 a.m. on State Route 69/Carmel Road North.
Authorities said an eastbound 2015 Volvo semi-truck was loaded with scrap metal when it collided westbound 2014 Porsche sedan near U.S. Route 202/Western Avenue. The truck hit a residential garage after the crash.
The Porsche driver, whose name has not been made public yet, died in the crash, according to authorities. His dog died as well.
The truck driver was not injured, authorities said.
Authorities have not released any additional information about the Penobscot County crash at this time.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
When someone hears that a semi-truck loaded with scrap metal collided with a passenger car and ended up hitting a garage, a natural question comes to mind: How did this even happen? Was the truck out of control? Did something go wrong with the cargo? Was someone not paying attention?
The crash killed the driver of the Porsche, but based on public reports so far, it’s not yet clear what triggered the sequence of events. Authorities say the truck was eastbound and the car was westbound when they collided, but they haven’t said who crossed the center line, or if anyone did. Without that piece of information, it’s impossible to understand what led to the crash.
Depending on whether the truck was in its lane or not, we’re looking at very different possibilities. If the truck veered out of its lane, we’d want to know why. Was the driver distracted? Did he fall asleep? Was there a mechanical failure? Did something shift in the truck’s load and cause him to lose control?
That last question is especially important here because this particular truck was hauling scrap metal, a cargo that’s heavy, loose and potentially unstable. If the load wasn’t properly secured, it could easily throw off the truck’s balance, especially on a curved or uneven stretch of road. Investigators will need to look closely at how the scrap metal was loaded, what kind of restraints were used and whether any of them failed.
It’s also worth asking whether the driver had any warning signs. Most trucks these days have engine control modules (black boxes) that record speed, braking and steering data. That information could reveal whether the trucker tried to swerve, brake or accelerate in the seconds before the collision. If the vehicle had dash cams or in-cab cameras, they might help answer whether the driver was paying attention or reacting to something unexpected in the road.
And as with any serious crash, investigators should review the driver’s history and the company’s hiring practices. Did the driver have a history of unsafe behavior? Was he screened and trained properly before being allowed to haul scrap metal through residential areas?
There’s still a lot we don’t know. And that’s exactly the problem. Until all the evidence is gathered and reviewed — black box data, camera footage, cargo inspection reports, phone records — there’s no way to understand what really caused this crash or who should be held accountable.
Key Takeaways:
- It’s not yet clear what caused the truck and car to collide; who left their lane, or why.
- The truck was carrying scrap metal, which raises questions about load stability and securement.
- Investigators will need to examine ECM data, any in-cab or dash cameras and cargo tie-downs.
- The driver’s history and the company’s safety procedures are also important areas to investigate.
- Until all the facts are in, we can’t say who’s at fault; only that the truth lies in the evidence.
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