PETA wants roadside memorial for lobsters killed in crash

BRUNSWICK, Maine — An animal rights group wants to build a “roadside memorial” in Maine near the site of a truck crash that spilled 7,000 pounds of live lobster.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals says they have asked the Maine Department of Transportation for permission to build a tombstone. The tombstone would ask drivers to “Try Vegan.”

Authorities say the Aug. 22 crash in Brunswick happened when a driver drifted off the right shoulder and hit an embankment on Route 1. The truck was carrying 60 to 70 crates of lobster, and traffic was backed up for hours as crews worked to clean up the crustaceans.

PETA Executive VP Tracy Reiman says the organization wants “to pay tribute” to the lobsters with a “memorial urging people to help prevent future suffering.”