AMHERST (AP) – The tribal governor of Maine’s Passamaquoddy Indians at Pleasant Point was killed in a head-on collision involving his pickup truck and a tanker truck on Route 9.

Melvin Francis, 60, died instantly in the Thursday night accident near a bridge over the Union River on the wilderness highway known as the Airline.

Francis was alone in the pickup and was returning to the Pleasant Point reservation from Augusta, where he met at the State House with legislative leaders. He also stopped at Indian Island to take part in the signing of an agreement with Venezuelan-owned Citgo Petroleum Corp., which is providing free heating oil to four Maine tribes.

He was headed east when he lost control of the pickup on black ice at the bottom of a hill, troopers said. The vehicle then swerved into the path of the tanker truck, which was empty.

The truck driver, Scott Colcord of Monroe, and his passenger, Daren Holmes of Bucksport, were not injured. Both were employees of R.H. Foster of Hampden, the truck’s owner.

Route 9 was closed for three hours while state police investigated the crash.

Gov. John Baldacci and legislative leaders of both parties paid tribute to Francis, remembering him as a respected leader who sought to improve the lives of Maine Indians.

“He did so much for his people,” said Baldacci, who planned to have flags around the state lowered to half-staff in memory of Francis. “He understood that improving the conditions of his people would improve the conditions for all Mainers. He will be sorely missed.”

Francis’ four-year term as governor was set to expire this year. Craig Francis, a lawyer for the tribe, said Melvin Francis had not decided whether to run again. He had held the post for at least one previous term.

“People referred to him as a peacemaker,” said Craig Francis, who grew up on the reservation and was a close friend of the governor, but not a relative. “He was an amazing advocate for his people. He was a really kind person, extremely considerate.”

Francis was a strong supporter of a proposal by an Oklahoma energy developer to build a liquefied natural gas terminal on tribal land at Pleasant Point.