The driver of a loaded fish bait truck was transported to LincolnHealth’s Miles Campus in Damariscotta with minor injuries after an accident near Mike’s Place on Route 1 in Newcastle the morning of Thursday, Aug. 16.
Christopher Grendell, 41, of Brunswick, was driving a 2004 International box truck owned by Purse Line Inc. of Sebasco Estates east on Route 1 when the accident occurred, according to a press release from the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office.
Grendell entered the breakdown lane to avoid a vehicle that was stopped in the same lane to make a left turn, according to the press release. Grendell lost control of the truck on the soft shoulder, causing the truck to roll on its side. The truck came to a rest on the east side of the road along the embankment, spilling its load of approximately 35 barrels of baitfish onto the ground.
Speed and driver inattention are believed to be factors in this collision, according to the press release.
Grendell, the only person in the truck, was wearing a seatbelt when the accident occurred. Central Lincoln County Ambulance Service transported Grendell to the hospital to be treated for minor injuries, according to the press release.
Grendell was charged with giving false information of a motor vehicle accident due to statements made to the investigative deputy, according to the press release. He will make his initial appearance date at the Lincoln County Courthouse on Oct. 25.
The Maine State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement responded and assisted with the investigation. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection and the Maine Department of Transportation also responded, along with the Lincoln County Emergency Management Agency and the Newcastle Fire Department.
The truck and spilled cargo were removed from the scene after three and a half hours of cleanup, according to the press release.
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