HOULTON, Maine — A Houlton man avoided injury June 11 when his pickup truck slammed into the back end of a public works street sweeper.
According to Det. Stephen Nason of the Houlton Police Department, Michael Gervais, no age listed, was traveling north on the North Road at 12:44 p.m. in a 2011 Chevrolet pickup when he pulled into the right-hand travel lane to go around a vehicle that was turning.
As Gervais pulled into the right-hand lane he struck the back end of a 2001 John Deere street sweeper operated by Louis Blanchette of the town’s Public Works Department. Gervais’ truck received extensive damage and had to be towed from the scene.
Public Works Director Chris Stewart said the sweeper was not owned by the town but by Steelstone Industries of Houlton.
“I was renting the machine for the day to get ready for line striping, while the towns sweeper is getting worked on,” Stewart said. “The damage to the sweeper was mostly a tire and rear fender.”
Stewart did not have an estimate for damages to the sweeper, but did say the driver of the truck was insured.
