Milk truck-minivan crash tells cautionary tale

By Shawn Cunningham
© 2017 Telegraph Publishing LLC

At about 1:45 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 9,  a milk truck carrying 39,000 pounds of milk and a minivan driven by an area resident crashed on Green Mountain Turnpike. The truck was on its way to the nearby Rohman-Wei farm to pick up milk.

Called to the scene, Chester Police Det.  Andrew Brothers found that the collision happened on a corner just before the farm, which sits at the intersection of Missing Link Road and the turnpike.

The two vehicles had been traveling in opposite directions when they made contact. The heavier truck pulled the minivan a short distance along the road, turning it 180 degrees so that it ended up the same direction as the truck. The road was blocked for several hours until the vehicles could be removed.

Brothers said that no one was seriously hurt nor did anyone ask for medical attention, although the driver of the minivan went home with minor scrapes and bruises. The minivan was a total loss while the tanker trailer was damaged but could be removed after onsite repairs by Reed Truck Services of Newport, N.H., that allowed towing.

“And no milk was spilled,” quipped Brothers.

A Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles Commercial Vehicle Enforcement team also responded to the accident. The collision is still under investigation.

This time of year, dirt roads can be narrowed due to snow and ice piled along the sides. The road surfaces can be slippery and precipitation and fluctuating temperatures can cause the surface to thaw and refreeze, creating a layer of ice underneath.

Police remind motorists to use extra caution when driving on dirt roads and to drive slower and be alert for oncoming vehicles.