A tractor-trailer truck carrying food destined for the Catholic Charities food bank in Aroostook County was one of dozens of vehicles involved in the record pileup on I-95 on Feb. 25.
Weather and poor driving conditions were considered to be factors in the accident that damaged everything from passenger vehicles to a school bus. It’s considered one of the largest incidents of its kind in state history.
“The 75-vehicle pileup is likely the largest motor vehicle crash in state history,” said Steve McCausland, spokesperson for the Maine Department of Public Safety.
The Good Shepherd Food Bank truck was heading to the warehouse in Caribou when it went off the road.
“Fred Schieber, our food bank manager, got a call from Good Shepherd at about 9 a.m. saying the truck had been involved in the pileup outside of Newport and would not be arriving as planned on Wednesday,” said Dixie Shaw, director of hunger and relief services for Catholic Charities’ office in Caribou.
Shaw said the driver was not hurt but the load needed to be inspected for damage, as did the truck.
“We were informed Friday that the load would be brought into the warehouse Saturday,” she said.
Shaw said receiving shipments on time is vitally important, since food is distributed on a regular basis.
“We had food going out Tuesday, so we needed to get this load before Monday to ensure that we have the food we need to get out to our 24 pantries. The truck also carries the CSFP food packs up to us as well, which is a program administered by the Aroostook Agency on Aging and warehoused and distributed by us,” said Shaw, noting, “All food arrived on time and was distributed on time.”
Shaw said everyone at Catholic Charities is grateful the driver was not seriously injured.
“We are so thankful that the driver was unharmed and we’re appreciative of Good Shepherd Food Bank for making a special trip to The County on Saturday to get the food to us on time for our normal distributions,” she said.
Often on the road for work, Shaw said she was attending a meeting in southern Maine when the accident occurred.
“I was downstate at the time of the accident and came upon the scene about five hours after it occurred. At that time the only vehicle still on the scene beside law enforcement was the Good Shepherd Food Bank truck. I immediately called Fred to check the status of the driver and to find out what had happened,” said Shaw.
“Even though the scene had been cleared of nearly all vehicles, you could see for quite a distance all the tracks in the snow where vehicles had left the road,” Shaw said.
The truck sustained minor damage and much of the food onboard was able to be salvaged.
State Police are continuing to investigate the accident, trying to determine the sequence in which the collisions occurred.
