BOWDOINHAM, Maine — The front of a general store and restaurant was destroyed by a pickup truck that crashed through the building after its brakes failed.
Lynn Spiro, owner of the Town Landing Restaurant, told the Portland Press Herald that the truck came through the building at Main Street and Route 24 about 1 p.m. Wednesday. Seven people were inside, including some employees.
Police say the Chevrolet pickup truck, operated by 31-year-old Richard Ellis of Bowdoinham, was traveling down Main Street when the brakes failed.
There were no injuries and Ellis will not face charges.
The truck had minor damage.
Chevrolet, hmmm…looked like an Army surplus….
Where are you seeing a picture? At 9:33 am, I don’t see a picture to go with this story.
…I was there….
Any vehicle that looses its brakes completely in this day and age has to be a real clap-trap and shouldn’t be on the road.
The driver of this vehicle was put in an unexpected and unfortunate situation. He should be commended for his quick thinking that resulted in only a few cuts and bruises rather than what the alternative outcome would have been had he hit the car. The building can be repaired, loss of life can not.
I have had my brakes go out on me and my vehicle was far from a “clap-trap”.
Wet road with worn tires give you that impression? Sand or black ice perhaps? Repeated use of brakes can overheat them making it seem that they ‘went out’, too.
There are 2 separate brake circuits on all vehicles since ’67 and most now have some form of a power booster. The malfunction of one of the 3 would only result in diminished braking effect; never a complete loss.