BRUNSWICK

An overturned box truck carrying lobster on Route 1 northbound late this morning backed up traffic and took crews more than three hours to clean up.

Brunswick Police Cmdr. Tom Garrepy said the crash was reported at 11:26 a.m. just beyond the northbound Cook’s Corner on-ramp.

The 2016 International refrigerated truck belonged to Cozy Harbor Seafood, Inc. of Portland and was driven by 39-year-old Jose Albino-Horrach of South Portland.

Garrepy said Albino-Horrach had entered Route 1 from Cook’s Corner, “and then for some unknown reason at this point in the investigation, he drifted off onto the right shoulder, down the embankment and rolled the truck over.”

The cargo box was broken open and there were crates of lobster both inside the box and outside on the ground. The truck was carrying approximately 60 to 70 crates of the crustacean.

Garrepy said the driver had minor injuries and was taken to Mid Coast Hospital for evaluation.

Police and firefighters on scene helped lug all the crates up to the side of the roadway. Representatives from Cozy Harbor Seafood responded to the crash and planned to send another truck to retrieved the seafood. Unfortunately, Garrepy said he was told the lobster can’t be eaten now because of the length of time it was unrefrigerated and exposed to fresh water in the form of pouring rain.

An employee who answered the phone in Cozy Harbor Seafood’s administrative office declined to comment on the value of the lobster or what will happen to it. He stated that the company was focused on the well-being of their driver, who will be OK.

Garrepy didn’t anticipate any charges but the crash remains under investigation. The truck was removed by Hunter’s Towing Service of Lisbon.

Traffic was backed up along Route 1 and Interstate 295 as far as Freeport, Garrepy said. Maine Department of Transportation personnel activated sign boards alerting motorists of the crash and traffic delays.

A member of the Maine State Police Commercial Vehicle Unit was also at the crash scene and is expected to inspect the truck tomorrow.

Firefighters and police were still an earlier crash on Route 1 southbound when the truck crash was reported.

Garrepy said police were dispatched just before 11 a.m. to Route 1 southbound for single vehicle crash in the median halfway between Cook’s Corner and the West Bath town line.

A brown BMW car driven by James Day of Woolwich hydroplaned, went off the road into woods and hit a tree. Day was taken to Mid Coast Hospital with minor injuries. No charges are expected.

After the first crash, vehicles were stopped on both sides of Route 1 and were moved along by police.