Published: January 26, 2026
On Tuesday, Jan. 13, a car crash occurred on I-95 in Waterville, knocking two Maine Department of Transportation (DOT) workers off a bridge in Waterville and killing them.
The crash occurred at about 9:35 a.m., minutes after a Maine DOT crew closed the travel lane on the overpass. They posted a stop sign at the end of the on-ramp, and a driver in a minivan failed to stop. The minivan was hit by a tractor-trailer, propelling the van into DOT workers.
State Police issued a statement, explaining, “As a result of the collision, the minivan was forced into the work zone, striking four Maine Department of Transportation workers who were working at the site. The impact propelled two of the workers over the bridge and onto Kennedy Memorial Drive below.”
The workers, both from Waterville, were pronounced dead at the scene. They have been identified as 51-year-old Dwayne Campbell and 60-year-old James Brown. The other workers struck by the minivan were hospitalized with injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening.
Police said the 34-year-old woman driving the minivan was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. She had two children in the van who were not hurt. The tractor-trailer driver was not injured.
The woman driving the minivan was identified as Samantha Tupper of Augusta, Maine. Records show that Tupper has an extensive criminal history, including having her license suspended in the past and selling drugs to a law enforcement officer, among various other charges and arrests.
“Today, the entire MaineDOT family is heartbroken,” said the Maine DOT in a statement on social media the day after the incident. “When they left for work, no one could have known they wouldn’t return. Our entire team mourns today from this unspeakable loss, and we share our sympathies with their families, friends, and loved ones. Two other MaineDOT workers were injured but are recovering today.”
“Every day, road workers put their trust in your hands. They step out of their vehicles trusting that drivers are paying attention, distraction-free, and focused on driving safely.” They continued their statement by urging drivers to be safe, cautious, and distraction-free while driving, especially inwork zones. “There are lives at stake.”
The crash is still being further investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
