A flatbed semi truck hauling 50 beehives full of bees overturned in Maine on Monday night, wreaking havoc for the bees and those involved in the cleanup effort.
The accident happened on October 25th in Gardiner, Maine just after 6 p.m.
According to Central Maine News, the semi truck was traveling north along River Avenue when it was cut off by a four-wheeler heading south. The car crossed the centerline in front of the rig and the two vehicles collided, causing the rig to jackknife and overturn, releasing the bees from their hives.
The truck driver, who was also the beekeeper, unloaded several of the hives from the truck following the crash in hopes that some of the lost bees would return to their hive. The hives will remain on the side of the road until Tuesday night, police say.
“There were bees everywhere; they were obviously upset after (the truck) overturned,” said Gardiner Police Sgt. Normand Gove.
The motorist suffered some injuries to his face and was transported to a nearby hospital. He has since been summoned on charges of operating under the influence and operating in violation of a conditional license, pending blood test results.