FAIRFIELD — A Shawmut man was hospitalized Thursday with serious but non life-threatening injuries after he drove a rented Dodge Caliber into the rear of a tractor-trailer truck.

The crash is under investigation, but police think the injured man, Jonathan Dubois, 40, may have been operating under the influence of drugs or alcohol, police Chief John Emery said.

Dunfield drove into the back of a truck driver by Daniel Dunfield, 59, of Bangor, at about 10 p.m. Thursday on U.S. Route 201 near James D. Julia Auctioneers.

Dunfield had just pulled onto the highway, traveling south, when he heard a loud bang and pulled over, assuming one of his tires had blown, he told police. When he got out of the truck, Dunfield saw that he had been struck from behind, Emery said.

After impact, Dubois’ car veered into the curb, rolled over once and landed on its wheels, trapping Dubois inside until he was removed by rescue workers with extrication equipment.

“We’re not quite sure why he didn’t see the truck,” Emery said of Dubois. “The truck was quite well lit from the rear.”

Emery said the car was destroyed. The truck was also damaged: a large steel bumper, which is meant to prevent cars from driving under trailers, was bent; a tire was blown and the rear axle was damaged.

Investigators spent the next three hours reconstructing the crash, and haven’t determined whether Dubois will be charged.

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