On Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, at approximately 6:30 a.m., Maine State Police arrested Samantha Tupper, 34, of Augusta, following her indictment by a Kennebec County Grand Jury in connection with the January crash that killed two Maine Department of Transportation workers in Waterville. Tupper was indicted Thursday on two counts of Manslaughter, two counts of Aggravated Driving to Endanger, two counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, and one count of Aggravated Assault.

She was arrested Friday morning without incident at a residence on Mayflower Road in Augusta and transported to the Kennebec County Jail, according to the Maine Dept. of Public Safety, in a news release. Bail was set at $50,000.

The charges stem from a January 13, 2026, crash on I-95 southbound near mile marker 127 in Waterville. According to the Dept. of Public Safety, the investigation determined that Tupper, who was operating a minivan, failed to stop at a posted stop sign at the end of the Kennedy Memorial Drive on-ramp and attempted to enter the passing lane, where her vehicle was struck by a tractor-trailer. The collision forced Tupper’s vehicle into an active MaineDOT work zone, striking three workers. Two of the workers, James Brown, 60, and Dwayne Campbell, 51, both of Waterville, were killed. A third MaineDOT worker was injured. 

Tupper remains at the Kennebec County Jail pending her initial court appearance. 

On Tuesday, January 13, 2026, at 9:37 a.m., the Maine State Police responded to a fatal pedestrian crash on I-95 southbound near mile marker 127 in Waterville. The Maine Department of Transportation had closed the traveling lane at the end of the southbound on-ramp from Kennedy Memorial Drive using cones and a posted stop sign as part of bridge construction work, with MaineDOT workers present at the site, according to a January 13 news release from the Maine Dept. of Public Safety regarding the motor vehicle crash.

The initial investigation indicates the operator of a gray Kia minivan failed to stop at the posted stop sign and then attempted to enter the passing lane (lane one) of I-95 southbound, where the minivan was struck by a tractor-trailer which was traveling southbound. As a result of the collision, the minivan was forced into the work zone, striking three 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 two workers were pronounced deceased at the scene. They have been identified as James Brown, 60, of Waterville, and Dwayne Campbell, 51, of Waterville. A third worker was transported to a local hospital with injuries believed to be non-life-threatening. 

The operator of the minivan, Samantha Tupper, 34, of Augusta, had two young children in the vehicle. The children were not injured. Tupper was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the tractor trailer was not injured. 

Due to the crash, all lanes of I-95 southbound were shut down for several hours while the Maine State Police Crash Reconstruction Unit conducted its investigation. One lane of I-95 southbound has since reopened. Additionally, Kennedy Memorial Drive was shut down westbound, and one lane was shut down eastbound for several hours to allow emergency response and investigation.

The Maine State Police was assisted by the Waterville Police Department, Waterville Fire Department, Waterville Public Works, Delta Ambulance and Dostie’s Towing. 

"The Maine State Police extend our condolences to the family, coworkers and loved ones of the MaineDOT workers impacted by this fatal crash," said the Jan. 13, 2026 news release.

The Maine Department of Transportation held a memorial procession from the MaineDOT Fairfield Training Center to the Augusta Civic Center on Saturday, Feb. 28, to honor the memories of fallen MaineDOT employees James Brown and Dwayne Campbell. The procession included vehicles from MaineDOT, regional partners, and departments of transportation from across and beyond New England.

Following the procession, MaineDOT held a memorial ceremony for James and Dwayne at the Civic Center. The Maine State Police Pipe and Drum Corps performed in remembrance of their fellow public service colleagues.