Two MaineDOT Workers Killed in Waterville I-95 Work Zone Crash
Key Highlights
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Two MaineDOT workers were killed and a third was injured when a minivan entered a work zone and was struck by a tractor-trailer.
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The crash happened near the Kennedy Memorial Drive on-ramp during bridge construction; the lane was closed with cones and a stop sign.
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Officials stress the importance of slowing down, paying attention, and giving road crews space to stay safe.
Two Maine Department of Transportation employees were killed and a third was injured Tuesday morning after a vehicle entered a work zone on Interstate 95 in Waterville, according to Maine State Police.
The crash happened near the southbound on-ramp from Kennedy Memorial Drive, where crews were working on a bridge project. Police said the travel lane at the end of the ramp had been closed with cones and a temporary stop sign.
Investigators said a minivan driven by 34-year-old Samantha Tupper of Augusta failed to stop at the sign. As she attempted to merge onto I-95 southbound, the van was struck by a tractor-trailer traveling in the passing lane. The impact pushed the minivan into the construction area, where it hit three MaineDOT workers.
Two workers, James Brown, 60, and Dwayne Campbell, 51, both from Waterville, were thrown over the bridge and died at the scene. A third worker was hospitalized with injuries that were not life-threatening. Tupper was also transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Two children who were riding in the minivan were not injured.
Sections of Interstate 95 and Kennedy Memorial Drive were closed for several hours as emergency crews responded and investigators worked at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.
Maine State Police Lt. Roderick Charette said investigators are reviewing several factors and described the crash as complex.
“There’s a lot of moving parts to this,” Charette told WABI. “Our job is to find the facts, piece them together, and have it reviewed.”
Charette also noted that drivers were required to stop at the end of the ramp because of the temporary lane closure. “It was a one-lane enclosure, traffic would have been required to stop, and there was a posted stop sign there,” he told the station, adding it was “a temporary sign that D.O.T. put in place.”
Gov. Janet Mills issued a statement expressing condolences to the families of the victims and MaineDOT employees statewide.
“Today, two public servants from MaineDOT tragically lost their lives while serving the people of Maine,” Mills said. She urged drivers to slow down and give road crews plenty of space.
MaineDOT Commissioner Dale Doughty said the agency is mourning the loss of two colleagues.
“Today is a heartbreaking day for the MaineDOT family,” Doughty said. “We are deeply saddened by this loss and extend our sincere condolences to the families, friends, and coworkers of our colleagues.”
He emphasized the dangers that road crews face every day while keeping Maine’s roads safe.
“This tragedy is a painful reminder of the risks our crews face every day while working to keep Maine’s roads safe,” he said. “Our employees work in dynamic traffic conditions and plan carefully, communicate constantly, and look out for one another while performing their jobs.”
Doughty added that the department’s focus remains on supporting its team.
“Every worker deserves to go home at the end of their shift,” Doughty said. “Our focus today is on honoring the lives of our coworkers and supporting their families and teammates.”