BANGOR – An empty dump truck struck a highway overpass early Monday morning, causing the vehicle to roll over several times before coming to rest in the northbound lane of Interstate 95.

The truck’s driver, Benjamin Lamb, 24, of Brewer, was trapped inside the vehicle for several minutes but suffered only minor injuries, according to Maine State Police Trooper Josh D’Angelo.

The accident snarled traffic on the northbound lane of the interstate for about four hours near the Hogan Road exit, although D’Angelo said it could have been much worse.

“We were able to divert traffic off the interstate via the Hogan Road exit and then people could just get right back on,” he said. “It happened right at the overpass, so we didn’t have to shut down a big stretch.”

Lamb was driving the truck, owned by Roof Systems of Maine of Bangor, to a job site in Orono around 7 a.m. when he approached the Hogan Road overpass.

Normally trucks of that size pass easily underneath the 15-foot overpass, but, “It looks like the body of the truck rose as the driver was coming underneath the overpass,” D’Angelo explained.

The bucket part of the truck broke loose from the impact but Lamb couldn’t maintain control of the vehicle and it rolled over multiple times before ending up on its roof, the trooper said.

Lamb had to be extricated from the vehicle and was taken by ambulance to Eastern Maine Medical Center but suffered largely bumps and bruises, according to D’Angelo.

Lee Corro, vice president of Roof Systems of Maine, said he was relieved to hear that his driver was not seriously hurt and said the accident appeared to be a freak thing.

“At this point, we’re not sure what caused the back part to raise, but I haven’t had the chance to talk to [Lamb], so we don’t know what happened,” Corro said Monday afternoon by telephone.

The vehicle was insured, both for its own damage and for the approximately $75,000 in damage caused to the Hogan Road overpass, he added.

Dale Doughty, head of the Maine Department of Transportation’s regional office in Bangor, said he was told the accident bent one of the overpass beams, but the bridge did not receive major structural damage.

“It doesn’t take much to cause $75,000 in damage, believe it or not,” Doughty said.

Trooper D’Angelo said he doesn’t think speed was a factor. No charges will be filed.

erussell@bangordailynews.net

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