NEWPORT, Maine — Traffic slowed to a snail’s pace over a mile-long stretch of I-95 south Thursday after a tractor-trailer truck carrying a load of processed whelks crashed, spilling half its load.
“We’re still investigating the cause, but around 5 a.m., a 2012 Freightliner tractor-trailer truck traveling south left the travel lane and went into the median,” said Maine State Trooper Kyle Willette. “It struck the built-up crossover and vaulted into the air a short distance before coming to rest on the other side of the crossover.”
The crash occurred near near the Ridge Road in Newport.
The truck driver, 51-year-old Arthur Wittneben of Ridge, N.Y., was transported by ambulance to Sebasticook Valley Hospital in Pittsfield with what Willette called unspecified injuries that were not life-threatening. Nurses at the hospital were unable to provide an update on Wittneben’s condition early Thursday evening.
“He was hauling whelks, which were processed and frozen in Milbridge,” said Willette. “They’re a type of sea snail which my grandfather, who was a lobsterman, used to call wrinkles.”
According to the Maine Department of Marine Resources website, the waved or common whelk is now part of an emerging cottage industry in the Gulf of Maine. The common subtidal species of snail that can be found along the western Atlantic coast used to be considered incidental catch material and either thrown back to the sea or disposed of. Now, they’re helping fuel an emerging market for pickled meats and shell ornaments.
Last year, buyer reports showed about 40,500 pounds of whelks were caught in the Gulf of Maine, with harvesters paying about $24,600 for them.
Although most of the mess was spilled in the median and shoulder, the passing lane had to be closed down for cleanup, which involved half of the truck’s load — packaged in cartons and pallets — oil and fuel. People and equipment from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, Clean Harbors cleanup company, the Maine Department of Agriculture and Bouchard’s Towing service took part in the cleanup effort, which lasted about seven hours.
Travel was limited to one lane from 10:30 a.m. to approximately 5:30 p.m., Willette said.
“Traffic was backed up to Exit 161 for about a mile during afternoon rush time around 5 p.m.,” said Willette.
Willette said excessive speed and alcohol were ruled out as causes of the crash.
If a whelk is called a ” wrinkle”
then what are periwinkles called ??
I thought whelks were carnivorous and periwinkles
were vegetarians.
When you pick wrinkles for cash that is called wrinkeling.
When you pick wrinkles just for beer money that is called “drinkeling”.
Call em what you want , I love them all…
They are delicious.
Save the Snails!
The tractor trailer “…struck the built-up crossover and vaulted into the air a short distance
before coming to rest on the other side of the crossover.” Whoa! That must have been SOME vision! Driver Wittneben has to be some kind of lucky person to get out of that without life-threatening injuries.
“Traffic slowed to a snail’s pace… ”
You had to.
ES… CARGO…(T)
truck lost its load.
snails scattered all over the place
ex cargo
groan
This story is just plain gross.
Big tex is squeamish eh? Aw.
While Trooper Willette may be trained to coment on the cause and orr esult of the accident it is without a doubt he was either an infant with no recollection or just didn’t pay attention as to what his Grandad may or may not called a wrinkle. But, it did make for a good read just the same. May even get some more remarks from the peanut gallery.
“40,500 pounds of whelks were caught in the Gulf of Maine, with harvesters paying about $24,600 for them.”
50 cents a pound for wrinkles? I’d pay 4X that much, they’re pretty good if a little chewy. A little vinegar and butter….Hannaford’s, are you listening?
Some of my whelks were on that truck how many thousand pounds do you want if you will pay more
“Willette said excessive speed and alcohol were ruled out as causes of the crash.”
So what are some of the other possible reasons for this truck driver crashing ??
mechanical failure
, tires, other drivers, health… to list a few..
Don’t forget meteors, comets, and other space debris. Impacts from space cause thousands of traffic accidents every year!*
* this is not true
Distraction
Driver inexperience
Falling asleep
Under the influence of drugs
Medical event
Mechanical failure
…
Thrill seeker.
5:00 am probably fell asleep
“Willette said excessive speed and alcohol were ruled out as causes of the crash.”
So what are some of the other possible reasons for this truck driver crashing ??
finally a story that doesn’t destroy ones rep. –
“Willette said excessive speed and alcohol were ruled out as causes of the crash”.
for once we have a officer commenting on what he did know. I’m so tired of the “could have been involved ” comments.. either its involved or not.. don’t stamp every accident with a “could have been”- that type of sensationalism doesn’t help anyone. change in the BDN reporting is coming at a snails pace, and thats good, giving the slippery road they have been on lately..
“…with harvesters paying about $24,600 for them.”Don’t harvesters get paid – Not pay?