Four people were hospitalized Saturday afternoon after a freightliner truck overturned on Route 231 and caused the road to be shut down for more than two hours.

Detective Sgt. Al Paton, of the Maryland State Police Prince Frederick Barrack, said at about 1:08 p.m. Saturday, a 2005 Chevrolet express, driven by James Gale, 29, of Charlotte Hall, was stopped on Route 231 to turn left onto Calvert Fair Drive when a 2005 freightliner truck, driven by Steven Sater, 30, of Mechanicsville, hit the back of the Chevrolet.

The freightliner then went off the right side of the road, hit a utility pole and overturned on its side, Paton said. Both Gale and Sater, along with two children who were passengers inside the freightliner truck, were taken to Calvert Memorial Hospital and treated for minor injuries, he said.

Paton said as a result of the accident, fuel from the freightliner spilled onto the road and caused the road to be shut down for about two and a half hours while Maryland Department of the Environment officials assessed the scene and the fuel leak was cleaned up. Electricity in the area was out for about an hour, Paton said, when the utility pole was hit.

Sater was cited with multiple traffic violations, Paton said, including negligent driving and failing to restrain the children by seatbelt or safety seat.

KATIE FITZPATRICK