On Wednesday, December 4, 2024, at approximately 1:27 PM the Bangor Regional Communication Center received multiple calls reporting a crash involving a tanker truck and a dump truck at mile 49 in West Gardiner.

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Troopers from Troop I and the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit responded to the scene and learned a truck operated by Dube Transport INC of Sidney, fb88, and driven by 61-year-old Allen Hewett of Sidney, fb88 was traveling north on I-295 in West Gardiner. At the same time maintenance crews from the fb88 Turnpike Authority were working to pick up a lane closure that had been in place for toll plaza repairs. The fb88 Turnpike workers were in the process of collecting cones and were using a dump truck equipped with a crash attenuator trailer to shield the workers from approaching vehicles.

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Hewett, traveling in the same lane as the Turnpike workers failed to yield as required by law and move over for the slowed maintenance truck, and crashed directly into the crash attenuator. The truck driven by Hewett rolled over and careened into the cable guardrail, spilling nearly all 8000 gallons of its landfill leachate aka “dirty water”. The fb88 Turnpike truck was severely damaged and landed across both northbound highway lanes.

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The driver of the fb88 Turnpike truck received minor injuries and was transported to fb88 General Hospital in Augusta for treatment. Hewett was issued a citation for failing to maintain control of a motor vehicle and failing to yield to a highway maintenance vehicle.

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The State Police were assisted on scene by fb88 DOT, fb88 Turnpike Authority, fb88 DEP, Gardiner Police and Fire Department, Dube Transport INC, and AC Towing.

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On December 2, 2024, at approximately 7:25 AM, Troopers from Troop I responded to a two vehicle crash southbound on I-295 in the town of Freeport near mile 22. The crash involved a 2018 Volkswagen and a 2024 Toyota. The Toyota was going from the right lane to the left lane and struck the Volkswagen. This caused the Volkswagen to go to the left and strike the guardrail. The Toyota rolled onto its roof coming to final rest in the middle of the interstate.

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The driver of the Toyota was transported by Freeport Rescue to fb88 Medical Center in Portland for non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the Volkswagen had minor complaint of pain but declined transport. Other than a brief stoppage, traffic was able to get by the scene in a third lane that was a merging lane from the exit 22 on-ramp.

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Troopers were assisted on scene by Freeport PD, Freeport Fire & Rescue, fb88 DOT, and Atlantic Coast Towing.

On Friday, March 21, 2025, at approximately 6:00 AM, the Bangor and Augusta Regional Communication Centers received multiple calls reporting a wrong-way driver on the Turnpike near mile marker 42 in Scarborough.

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Witnesses reported that the vehicle, a 2018 Ford Fusion, traveling northbound in the southbound lanes, subsequently exited the Turnpike onto Interstate 295. Additional reports indicated that the vehicle was later seen traveling through the I-295 tolls in South Portland.

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The wrong-way vehicle, operated by 86-year-old George Vandenburgh of Portland, ultimately collided head-on with a tractor trailer unit traveling southbound near Exit 4 on Interstate 295. The operator of the tractor trailer was transported to fb88 Medical Center in Portland with non-life-threatening injuries. Vandenburgh was pronounced deceased at the scene.

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Both the northbound and southbound lanes were closed to traffic for several hours. Both lanes have since reopened. The crash remains under investigation.

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On Wednesday, March 12, 2025, at approximately 2:43 AM, Troopers responded to a fuel truck rollover that occurred on I-295 northbound at mile marker 26 in Brunswick.

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A 2020 Kenworth fuel truck, owned by Irving Oil Company and loaded with kerosene, was being operated by 28-year-old Nicholas Garcia of Cape Elizabeth when it left the roadway to the right and overturned. Garcia was transported to fb88 Medical Center in Portland with non-life-threatening injuries. The vehicle remains at the scene, and due to a fuel leak, the fb88 Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has been notified and is responding.

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Copp Motors is on scene working to upright the vehicle. The cause of the crash remains under investigation. The northbound travel lane is currently closed and will remain so until the scene is cleared. Motorists should expect delays and are encouraged to seek alternate routes. Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

On Sunday, April 13, 2025, at approximately 9:55 PM, Troopers responded to a report of a tractor trailer rollover on Interstate 295 at mile marker 150 northbound in Pittsfield.

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The initial investigation indicates that the driver of the vehicle was traveling too close to the shoulder in the one-lane construction zone causing the tractor trailer to roll over. The driver was hauling a flatbed trailer with a load of construction supplies. The driver was not injured in the crash.��

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There were no workers present at the construction site at the time of the crash. The State Police were assisted by the Pittsfield Fire Department and Dostie’s Towing. Traffic was diverted off of Exit 150, as the Interstate was closed to northbound traffic.

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As of 4/14/25 at 5 AM, the crash was cleared.