Early last Friday, April 8, I was driving southbound on Interstate 95 – the Maine Turnpike – to take a friend from the Sanford area to the Portland Jetport for their flight to Washington, D.C.

Somewhere between Exit 42 (Scarborough) and Exit 36 (Saco-Old Orchard Beach), while in the right-hand driving lane, in my 2015 Ford F-150 full-size cab pickup truck, with heavy rain and in the dark (around 5:25-5:30 a.m.), I was driving 55 mph, watching the right-hand white reflective line that is the boundary for the breakdown lane and a section of guardrail. An 18-wheel tractor, pulling a 53-foot-long box trailer, sideswiped my driver’s-side mirror, moving at least 60 mph and trailing a rooster tail of rear tire spray. For a second of terror, I thought I was going over the guardrail to meet my maker.

Seeing any kind of license plate in those weather and visibility conditions was impossible. The tractor looked like it was a maroon color. I believe the driver never realized he sideswiped me.

Whether he was an independent owner-driver or a transportation company employee, I have no idea. Was he a Maine resident? Maybe he will read this letter.

Both my hands were shaking. By a sheer miracle, that 12-inch length of mirror that extends from the driver’s-side door managed to stay attached, saving my life. Everything still works, but a triangle-shaped piece of the plastic housing that encases the mirror’s manual hinge mechanism was torn off.

I notified all parties, including the Maine State Police, and will have the mirror replaced.

I will be able to thank a higher power at Easter for still being alive. And my friend, after several delays, did finally make that flight to D.C.

Dennis Marrotte
Westbrook