A damaged box truck driven by Leon Tripp, 38, of Windham lies in the northbound lane of the Maine Turnpike in Lewiston after a collision involving two other trucks Tuesday morning. No one was injured, police said. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal

Two box trucks collided and a Maine Turnpike Authority truck was struck Tuesday morning on the toll highway near the Lewiston exit, police said.

There were no injuries.

The left lane of the northbound side of the highway was blocked for street sweeping in the area near Exit 80. Message boards were in place indicating slow traffic. Behind that vehicle was a truck with lights, arrow board and sign showing the lane was blocked.

Shortly after 11:30 a.m., two box-truck-style commercial vehicles were traveling north and approaching the lane closure, police said.

One of the two trucks pulled into the left lane and was attempting to pass the other when the driver realized the left lane was closed ahead. He apparently had not noticed the message board he had passed less than a mile before.

The driver of the truck that was passing braked and attempted to steer right. He struck the rear of the Maine Turnpike truck with the arrow board, damaging the arrow board as well as the driver’s side of his truck. Leon Tripp, 38, of Windham was driving the truck that was in the left lane then collided with the truck it was overtaking as it attempted to turn back into the right lane, police said.

The truck that was being passed had to be towed. The turnpike truck was able to be driven away. The truck that originally was passing had a broken rear axle and substantial damage. It was stabilized at the scene and removed, police said.

The left lane was closed for about 90 minutes, police said.


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