PALMYRA — A load of pastries, cupcakes and other baked goods that spilled from a truck into the southbound lanes of Interstate 95 Monday morning led to a rear-end collision that sent the driver of a Ford Explorer to a local hospital with cuts and bruises, according to state police.

Motorists approaching the area slowed to avoid it, causing the accident, Trooper Brenda Coolen of Troop E said Monday afternoon.

Additional Photos

Clean-up: Officials pick up debris as two cars involved in a roll-over accident are loaded onto trucks at the scene of two-car accident on southbound Interstate 95 in Palmyra on Monday. Staff photo by Michael G. Seamans

Crash scene: Rescue officials gather at the scene of a multi-car accident in Palmyra on the southbound section of Interstate 95 on Monday. Staff photo by Michael G. Seamans

“When I got there the baked goods — cookies, cup cakes, French bread — were all over the road,” Coolen said. “It was in a real bad spot.”

Jonathan Marquis of Millinocket suffered minor cuts and bruises to his head when his 2000 Ford Explorer rolled into the median strip. He was taken to the hospital for observation.

A 2006 Toyota Matrix minivan driven by David Morrison of Orono was struck from behind by Marquis. Morrision did not appear to be injured, Coolen said.

“It was just the two vehicles that got tangled up with each other — there were other vehicles all around, but they weren’t actually involved in the accident itself. They may have been a contributing factor,” she said.

Several calls reporting debris in the road began coming in to the Somerset County Regional Communications Center in Skowhegan at 9:42 a.m. State police, which handles calls for assistance from the interstate, were dispatched from its Skowhegan — and Orono-based operations. Maine Department of Transportation crews also were sent to the area to cleanup.

The accident was reported at 10:18 a.m., in Palmyra, near the Newport exit.

The southbound lanes of the interstate were closed for about 30 minutes. Traffic was redirected into Newport.

Coolen said she believes somebody was hauling a load of day-old bread and pastry either for use by a hunter as bear bait or by a farmer to feed pigs.

Coolen said no charges are expected against the drivers involved in the crash, but police want to talk to whoever had the load of pastry.

“I would say at this point the only people that might get charged are the people who lost the baked goods off the back of their vehicle,” the trooper said. “If anyone has information on that vehicle I would love to have it.”

Coolen asked anyone with information about a vehicle carrying the food to police at 866-2121.

Doug Harlow — 612-2367

dharlow@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @Doug_Harlow

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