Metro

18-wheeler full of bubbly spills all over highway

A driver literally broke out the bubbly on a Connecticut highway on Wednesday when his 18-wheeler hit a truck and overturned, spilling the load of champagne he was carrying, officials said.

The smell of sparkling wine filled the air above I-395 in Griswold for hours after a tractor trailer rear ended a department of transportation truck and flipped over in the northbound lane shortly before 2:30 p.m.

The tractor-trailer, driven by William Wronski of Blackstone, Mass., was totaled, police said.

Wronski and DOT truck driver James Tuttle of North Stonington were transported to Backus Hospital for medical evaluations. Police said their injuries did not appear to be serious.

The highway was shut down for several hours as police worked to clear the scene. One lane of traffic reopened 4:30 p.m. and the scene was clear by 8 p.m., according to police and the state Dept. of Transportation.