MASARDIS, ME — Maine State Police are investigating three separate crashes involving tractor trailers that occurred on Jan. 5, 2026.
At approximately 9:02 a.m., troopers responded to a report of a tractor trailer stuck in power lines on Route 11 in Masardis.
Troopers determined the driver had just received a load of wood from a mill in Masardis and attempted to cross an intersection at the mill with an overfilled load.
The boom on the vehicle and the load on the trailer became stuck in the power lines.
The incident blocked the northbound lane of Route 11 for multiple hours.
Troopers were assisted by the Ashland Fire Department, Masardis Fire Department, Maine Forest Service, Ashland EMS and Versant Power.
At approximately 9:36 a.m., troopers received a report of a vehicle off the roadway on Portage Road in Nashville Plantation.
Icy roadway conditions caused a 2007 Kia Spectra to slide off the roadway and strike a guard rail.
A Maine Forest Service ranger was in the area and responded to provide traffic control.
As a wrecker was attempting to retrieve the Kia, the ranger was attempting to shut down the roadway to the north of the crash scene using emergency lighting in his patrol vehicle.
A 2016 Western Star log truck with a loaded trailer rounded a blind corner near the crash scene.
The tractor trailer attempted to brake but began sliding due to icy roadway conditions.
The vehicle began to jackknife and struck the rear of the Maine Forest Service vehicle.
The ranger was out of the vehicle at the time, but the driver of the Kia was in the Maine Forest Service vehicle at the time of the crash.
The driver of the Kia was transported to the hospital by Ashland Ambulance Service for minor injuries.
The Kia and Maine Forest Service patrol vehicle were towed from the scene due to disabling damage.
The ranger and driver of the tractor trailer were not injured in the crash.
Troopers were assisted at the scene by the Maine Forest Service, Maine State Police Commercial Vehicle Unit, Ashland Ambulance Service and Ashland Fire Department.
Shortly after 12 p.m., troopers responded to a report of a tractor trailer off the road near the intersection of Route 11 and Winding Hill Road in Patten.
The vehicle had taken out three utility poles and power lines were across both lanes of travel.
Troopers determined the driver lost control of the vehicle due to icy road conditions.
The incident blocked both lanes of Route 11 for several hours.
