ROCKPORT — A utility truck hauling a trailer of cable wires swerved off of Route 17, rolled twice, and broke a power pole before coming to rest in the yard of a home near the intersection of Porter Street. A tractor-trailer from Quebec that was traveling behind the truck caught the entire crash on a webcam mounted on his dashboard. The crash had closed a section of Route 17 between Porter and Old Rockland streets for approximately 90 minutes.

The utility truck, which belongs to a subcontractor fora  telecommunications company, was traveling east on Route 17 when its driver swerved to the left as the vehicle in front of him slowed to turn left onto Porter Street. 

To avoid that car, the driver attempted to go around to its left, caught wheels on the grass in the soft shoulder of the road, and then did a 180-turn. The weight of the trailer acted almost as a boomerang, swinging the rear-wheel drive truck across the highway. The truck subsequently rolled twice, slammed into the power pole, and landed back on its wheels.

The utility truck’s driver was Matthew Elliott, 43, of Belgrade.

The pole broke and came to rest across the truck’s hood.

Rockport Police and Rockport Fire Department responded to the crash, along with North East Mobile Health.

Central Maine Power and Fairpoint Communications were both on scene to tend to the wires.

The driver was uninjured, but the truck’s passenger, Edward Stamper, of Waterville, was transported to Pen Bay Medical Center for observation for neck and back pain.

Both Elliott and Stamper were wearing seatbelts.

Reach Editorial Director Lynda Clancy at lyndaclancy@penbaypilot.com/ 207-706-6657