Caribou, ME — October 7, 2025, Chad Gagnon was killed in a truck accident at about 7:40 a.m. at the intersection of West Presque Isle Road and Buck Road.

Authorities said a 2010 Freightliner semi-truck loaded with potatoes collided with a 2006 Chevrolet pickup at the intersection.

Pickup driver Chad Gagnon, 42, died in the crash, according to authorities.

The truck driver was not injured, the report states.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Aroostook County crash at this time.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When a semi-truck loaded with cargo collides with a smaller vehicle at an intersection, most people want to know one thing: How did this happen? Right now, there’s very little information publicly available about the crash at West Presque Isle Road and Buck Road, and that makes it all the more important to ask the right questions early on.

According to the initial reports, a Freightliner 18-wheeler carrying potatoes collided with a pickup, killing its driver. But that single sentence leaves us with far more questions than answers. For example: Which vehicle had the right of way? Was one of them running a stop sign or red light? Did the truck driver fail to yield? Or was the pickup already in the intersection when the truck entered?

At this point, we don’t know how the collision occurred, whether the truck T-boned the pickup or if it was a different configuration entirely. Depending on that, very different questions arise. Was visibility an issue? Were either of the drivers speeding? Did the truck’s cargo load have any impact on the handling or braking?

These aren’t idle hypotheticals. They're the kinds of questions that black box data, dashcam footage and cell phone records can answer definitively. The truck’s engine control module (ECM) may show how fast the truck was going, whether the driver hit the brakes and what gear it was in. In-cab video can reveal whether the driver was distracted or fatigued. If the driver was on the phone — or worse, texting — call logs will show it. And GPS records can confirm whether the driver followed the proper route and traffic laws.

On the company’s side, it’s worth asking: Who loaded the cargo, and was it properly secured? Was the driver adequately trained to haul that kind of load? How many hours had he been on the road? Was this a delivery under time pressure, encouraging risky driving?

In a case I handled not long ago, multiple parties bore responsibility for a similar crash: everyone from the driver to the cargo loader to the company’s safety director. One key piece of evidence was the driver’s hiring file, which revealed a history of poor driving that should have disqualified him from the job. These are the details that only come to light when someone conducts a thorough, independent investigation.

Authorities haven’t yet released that kind of information about the crash in Aroostook County. But until they do, it’s premature to assign blame. What matters most is that the truth comes out; not just for the sake of accuracy, but to make sure the right people are held accountable.

Key Takeaways:

• It’s not yet clear which vehicle had the right of way at the intersection.
• Black box data, dashcams and phone records will be critical to understanding the truck driver’s actions.
• The truck’s cargo load may raise questions about handling, braking or driver qualifications.
• A full investigation should include the trucking company’s safety policies and the driver’s background.
• Getting to the truth requires more than police reports. It takes an independent, evidence-based inquiry.