A truck driver was killed Monday morning in a two-truck motor vehicle accident on Route 27 in Franklin County near the Canadian border.

Franklin County sheriff’s deputies responded to the crash reported just before 9:30 a.m. Monday at Chain of Ponds Township, approximately 10 miles south of the international border at Coburn Gore. Deputies confirmed the death of Gregory Hutchinson, 51, of Carthage, upon their arrival at the scene, according to Franklin County Sheriff Scott Nichols.

Nichols said a blue 2000 International fuel truck belonging to Dead River Co. was traveling north driven by Hutchinson, while an empty, gray 2010 Peterbuilt tractor-trailer owned by Nicols Bros. Trucking of Mexico was traveling south driven by Jeffrey Lang, 70, of Rumford.

“The roads had received recent snowfall and as both vehicles approached each other on a curved portion of the road the empty trailer lost traction — jackknifed — and slid into the travel lane of the northbound fuel truck killing Gregory Hutchinson instantly,” Nichols said a news release Monday afternoon.

The case is still under investigation. Deputy Andrew Morgan is the primary investigator.

Nichols said the fuel truck and the empty tractor-trailer struck each other as they traveled in different directions on the road. The call was initially made via radio by a trucker from another company who came upon the wreck, Nichols said in a release. U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents were first on the scene to help secure it.

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The fuel truck was loaded with 2,000 gallons of No. 2 heating oil and 800 gallons of kerosene. The tank ruptured at the scene causing a spill, but there was no fire.

Representatives from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection were sent to the scene along with a contractor to contain the spill. Crews from Eustis and Rangeley fire departments responded to the scene as did Lt. David Rackliffe, Deputy Brian McCormick and Deputy Andrew Morgan of the Franklin County sheriff’s office.

Maine State Police commercial vehicle enforcement responded to reconstruct the accident. Franklin County Emergency Management Director Tim Hardy responded to the scene to assist with a satellite phone because of the lack of phone service in the area.

Doug Harlow — 612-2367

dharlow@centralmaine.com

Twitter:@Doug_Harlow


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