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Tractor trailer rollover spills wood chips, snaps untility pole

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A tractor trailer
A 2003 Peterbilt tractor trailer rolled over coming out of a long curve on Rt. 156 at the intersection of McCrillis and Webster roads.

WILTON – A tractor trailer carrying a full load of wood chips rolled over at a curve on Route 156 Monday morning. A 41-year-old man received minor injuries in the rollover. His cargo spilled down an embankment and a utility pole was broken in the accident.

Stephen Wilson of Thorndike, was driving a 2003 Peterbilt tractor trailer for P+D Transport, Inc. of Knox, when it rolled over coming out of a long curve on Rt. 156 at the intersection of McCrillis and Webster roads. The accident occurred at about 11:15 a.m.

Wilson was on his way to deliver the wood chips to ReEnergy in Livermore Falls, said Wilton Police Department Sgt. Chad Abbott. The tractor trailer rolled onto its side, landing off the road and partially down a short embankment.

The section of Route 156 has a speed limit of 45 mph.

“He (Wilson) failed to navigate the corner properly,” Abbott said as the cause of the crash.

Central Maine Power was called to the scene because live power lines were still attached to the broken utility pole.

The Wilton Fire Department responded, as did the Farmington Fire Rescue Department until it was determined the accident occurred in Wilton. Fire fighters put absorbent pads down under the tractor trailer’s fuel tank after it was found to be leaking.

Wilson received minor injuries, Abbott said, and was treated at the scene by NorthStar EMS personnel.

The truck is owned by Paul Jones of P+D Transport, Inc.

Wilson was on his way to deliver the wood chips to ReEnergy in Livermore Falls, said Wilton Police Department Sgt. Chad Abbott. The tractor trailer rolled onto its side, landing off the road and partially down a short embankment.
Stephen Wilson was on his way to deliver the wood chips to ReEnergy in Livermore Falls when the  tractor trailer he was driving rolled onto its side, landing off the road and partially down a short embankment.
Wilson was on his way to deliver the wood chips to ReEnergy in Livermore Falls, said Wilton Police Department Sgt. Chad Abbott. The tractor trailer rolled onto its side, landing off the road and partially down a short embankment.
The tractor trailer rolled onto its side, landing off the road and partially down a short embankment. It’s full load of wood chips were dumped and a utility pole was broken in the accident.
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23 Comments

  1. Glad me and my young grandson weren’t in his way. We travel it twice a day. Route 156 as a truck route, should be brought to Susan Collins attention and may soon be. Recently pulled over for not going the speed limit as the road is to curvey. I use a Honda Civic.

  2. Good thing that curve was straightened out a bit a few years ago……I am sure his speed had nothing to do with losing it….NOT.

    Dry road, calm day, excellent pavement, too fast! Slow it down to the speed limit for that curve, big guy!

  3. Just for all wondering I was traveling about 25 to 30 mph on a 45mph posted road. But I love the comments of people who have never even sat in a big rig let alone navigate one.

  4. I’m guessing since it is a sharp corner the load could of shifted making the trailer shift to the ditch side getting the tires in the loose dirt sucking the trailer into the ditch. The trailer rolling forces the tractor to over turn as well

  5. Sounds about right Jeffrey bivens. I don’t drive truck but I have friends and family that have or do. I sympathize with you Steve and MOST of the truckers out there. There are a lot of idiotic drivers on the roads. Some of the comments posted on this web-site are truly amazing.
    Be careful out there!

  6. I can’t remember any mills on 156. PUlp trucks, box trucks and other large tractor trailers use it all the time to by pass the weigh station on the way to Jay and Livermore Falls. Then the trucks going to the paper mill go across the Hyde road and all but make a car coming in the opposite direction go into the ditch. Something should be done about it but the town officials tell us in Jay that they can’t post the Hyde road.

  7. @Steve Wilson…glad to see you weren’t seriously injured. And honestly I would love to hear about the dynamics of a freighted truck versus an un freighted truck. I see a lot of hairy situations traveling the interstate and usually I can tell when they are freighted, but I would really like to hear it from a truckers perspective. What they feel behind the wheel.

  8. Well said Steve, my husband was a truck driver for years and it is always easy to Blame it on speed as well as being a Truck Driver, and with the traffic being so busy on the main route, I see why you take an alternate one. If you have never been for a ride on a truck, try sitting in the passenger seat, let alone drive one and see how you feel when a car pulls out in front of you and then turns about 200 yards down the road, Then try stopping , then you can complain about a truck driver, so know all the facts before complaining. nuf said!
    Once again, where would we be without them????????

  9. I might question the driving skills of someone going 20 mph under the speed limit and still rolls it over.

  10. I am pretty sure that when Lucille referred to the “main roads” she meant, Take Route 2 to Route 4 to Route 133 to the plant in Livermore Falls. Those are what we consider “main roads”. I happen to live on that stretch of road of 133 in town and I can tell you the trucks are traveling much faster than the 35 mph posted speed. We do not need to drive one to know that trucks go way to fast. Not all, but there are many that do. Steve, glad you are ok, luckily you were going slow…

  11. I too am glad you were not hurt Steve..it could have been a very serious outcome. My ex and my son drove trucks for many years. I went on may runs with my ex. It gave me a whole new perspective on truck drivers.
    Some of the antic’s that cars, pickup trucks and yes, even motorcycles, pull off in and around trcator trailers… it is a serious wonder there are not MORE accidents.
    After a long run to Chicago, I thought “NO ONE should get a drivers license UNTIL they have been on a long run in a Semi.!” Drivers have no clue what these men, and women, go through to keep themselves and other safe. Loads DO shift..roads ARE curved..slanted..hilly…filled with potholes, no breakdown lanes. Semi’s CANNOT stop on a dime when the car in front of them decides to make a turn at the last minute, and has to wait for oncoming traffic…PASSANGER VEHICALS have to be aware of semi’s. Does anyone on here…besides Steve..know how FAR back a car should be from a semi?? If YOU cannot see the trucks mirrors..YOU are to close..as he cannot see YOU! Semi’s must stay far behind cars also..so then what happens?? Cars get impatient and PASS the semi..it’s a never ending battle…and somehow the trucker is almost always in the wrong..
    Put every person getting a drivers license in a Semi for a long run….i bet there will be far fewer accidents between truckers and passanger vehicals!

  12. Truckers have consistently been the better drivers on the road (in my experience) but sometimes shift happens

  13. This trucker was traveling at a moderate speed.My neighbor was out in his field and saw this accident take place.Route 156 was newly constructed a few years ago.It was rebuilt for that purpose to be a truckers road.It has been an asset to truckers coming up route two and surrounding areas to the east.It helps truckers from getting into the conjested area between farmington and Wilton.This is in no way a highway to get around the scales.A lot of product goes down to the bio-mas and to pellet-one. Remember route 156 was rebuilt to be a truckers road.

  14. In my work life I have had to travel thousands of miles of roads and NEVER in my life, have I ever observed a tractor trailer truck, loaded or unloaded, travelling along at 20 miles under the posted speed limit.

  15. My father is a truck driver. Although sometimes accidents are caused by new drivers who do drive to fast.
    I have to laugh at all of you assuming that this driver was speeding. Assumptions that have no proof. Truck drivers have to be far more aware than the rest of us driving regular pickups or cars. They have to pay attention to the jerk cutting people off, the car slowing down a mile ahead of them, etc. People always ASSUME if there’s an accident involving a big rig, that it’s the big rig’s fault.
    As for everyone suggesting these big trucks use the main roads only? You are the same people who honk their horns and get irritated when the big truck manages to hit every red light in town. It takes those rigs a LONG time to gain speed AND to slow down. It’s just as easy for them to truck along on 156 not only because it cuts time off for them, but they don’t typically deal with being cut off and having to slow down to speed up again due to the traffic moving and the lights.
    I would love to see people paying more attention and being more curteous to them on the roads.
    Glad to know you are ok, Stephen Wilson.

  16. @ Mt Blue Mom, The Old Farmer is right Rte 156 was reconstructed several years ago to be a truck route, this was done to get trucks off of the main highway. So you know your facts before you post comments.

  17. A full load of chips does not ‘shift’ in a curve. However accidents happen to anyone, in fact all of us that admit to being human. You people in glass houses better be careful….

  18. DID ANYONE THINK SOME THING MIGHT BE WRONG WITH THAT PETERBILT TRUCK ?
    NOT THE DRIVER? I AM FINDING THAT PETERBILT ARE OUT OF BALANCE AND NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES A GARAGE TRIES TO SHIMMY THE BEDS YOU CANNOT BALANCE THEM SO THEY ARE A DANGER! NOT THE DRIVER, THE DRIVER IS IN AS MUCH DANGER AS PASSENGER CARS OUT THERE
    DONT ALWAYS BLAME THE DRIVER, THE TRUCKS COULD HAVE LOTS OF DEFECTS LIKE CARS

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