Accident on turnpike leads to arrest of truck driver

PORTLAND – An accident involving a tractor-trailer backed up commuter traffic on the northbound side of the Maine Turnpike in southern Maine for miles Wednesday morning and led to the arrest of the truck driver.

State police said the truck driver – 35-year-old Reginald Speight of Portland – had a suspended driver’s license. He was arrested and charged with operating after suspension.

Authorities said his license had been suspended since March for failing to pay child support. Speight was arrested after his discharge from Maine Medical Center for a broken shoulder he suffered in the crash.

According to state police, it appears the truck driver fell asleep about 4 a.m. in the northbound lane of the turnpike and the tractor-trailer struck the rear of a minivan.

The driver of the other vehicle was not injured. The woman’s identity was not immediately available.

The tractor-trailer hit a guardrail and overturned, spilling its cargo of food products. Traffic along that section of the turnpike in Scarborough was reduced to one lane.

Authorities said the truck is owned by Webster Trucking Corp. from Vermont.