Woman Charged After Minivan Crash Kills Two Highway Workers in Maine

A 34-year-old Maine woman is facing serious criminal charges after a devastating crash on Interstate 95 sent two highway construction workers off a bridge to their deaths while two children were inside her minivan.

Authorities identified the woman as Samantha Tupper, of Augusta, Maine. She was indicted on two counts of manslaughter, along with additional charges related to dangerous driving, child endangerment and aggravated assault. The case stems from a January 13, 2026, collision in Waterville that claimed the lives of two Maine Department of Transportation employees.

Investigators said Tupper was driving a gray Kia minivan toward a construction zone when she allegedly failed to stop at a temporary stop sign at the end of an entrance ramp. As she attempted to merge onto southbound I-95, her vehicle collided with a tractor-trailer, sending the minivan into the work zone where several highway workers were performing bridge construction.

The impact struck three workers, throwing two of them over the bridge railing onto Kennedy Memorial Drive below. The victims were identified as James Brown, 60, and Dwayne Campbell, 51. Both men died at the scene, while a third worker was hospitalized with injuries believed to be non-life-threatening.

Two children were passengers in Tupper’s minivan, but neither was injured. The minivan driver also sustained injuries that were not considered life-threatening, while the tractor-trailer driver was unharmed.

Tupper was arrested in September after a grand jury indictment. Her case highlights the potentially devastating consequences of failing to follow traffic controls in highway work zones, where construction crews face significant risks from passing vehicles. The investigation into the fatal collision remains ongoing, and the charges against Tupper are allegations that must be resolved through the legal process.

Source: Law & Crime