Staff Writer
ORONO – A Washburn man escaped serious injury when the fuel tanker truck he was operating left the road and crashed in a gully in the median of Interstate 95 around 4 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 26. Reports indicate William Fitzherbert, 52, of Washburn, lost control of his vehicle when he apparently fell asleep.
The southbound lanes of that section of the Interstate were subsequently blocked later in the day to facilitate removal of the truck, according to Maine State Police Trooper Josh D’Angelo.
Fitzherbert’s silver and blue truck and oil tanker came to rest in the ravine among some trees.
Sgt. Ted Millett, of the Maine State Police, indicated there were no skid marks or indications the driver had tried to stop prior to the accident, leading investigators to believe the driver fell asleep.
The driver reportedly told police he could not recall what happened.
D’Angelo, the first officer at the scene, arrived to find Fitzherbert in the passenger seat of a small truck of a passerby who’d stopped to help, talking on his cell phone.
Fitzherbert was taken to Eastern Maine Medical Center to be checked out, although D’Angelo said he didn’t appear to be seriously injured.
The driver was operating a John T. Noble fuel truck, heading down from Caribou destined for Cold Brook Energy Inc., located on Cold Brook Rd., stated D’Angelo.
D’Angelo indicated the tanker was empty and therefore no fuel was spilled.
State police shut down the southbound lanes of the interstate between the Stillwater Avenue and Kelly Rd. exits around 11 a.m. to allow a wrecker to remove the damaged truck and tanker. Traffic was diverted onto Stillwater Avenue for approximately an hour until one lane of the interstate could be re-opened.
Millett indicated the truck was totaled, noting the axle was separated from the truck as the result of the accident.
