Falmouth, ME — March 21, 2025, George Vandenburgh was killed and another person was injured in a truck accident at about 6 a.m. on Interstate 295.
Authorities said a 2018 Ford Fusion was headed the wrong way on I-295 when it crashed head-on with a southbound semi-truck near Exit 4. Witnesses said the car originally entered the oncoming lanes of Interstate 95/Maine Turnpike before exiting onto I-295.
Ford driver George Vandenburgh, 86, of Portland died at the scene of the crash, according to authorities.
The truck driver, whose name has not been made public, was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, authorities said.
Authorities have not released any additional information about the crash at this time. The accident is still under investigation.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
Crashes involving wrong-way drivers on high-speed interstates are among the most dangerous types of collisions, and they raise serious concerns about signage, road layout and whether the driver was in a condition to safely operate a vehicle. In this case, reports indicate that an 86-year-old driver entered the wrong side of Interstate 95, eventually continuing onto I-295, where he collided head-on with a semi-truck. A full investigation should determine whether this was due to confusion, poor road design or a combination of these factors.
One of the first questions investigators should answer is how the wrong-way entry occurred and whether it could have been prevented. Were there clear “Do Not Enter” and “Wrong Way” signs posted at the point of entry? Did the design of the entrance ramp make it easy to confuse the direction of travel? Wrong-way crashes often happen when ramps are poorly marked or lack adequate lighting, especially in areas where roads intersect at unusual angles. If poor signage or design flaws contributed, the responsible agencies should consider improvements.
Driver condition is also an important factor. At 86 years old, the driver may have been experiencing age-related cognitive or visual decline. While many older drivers remain perfectly capable behind the wheel, others may begin to have trouble with spatial awareness, complex traffic environments or decision-making under stress.
Finally, speed and impact should be considered. Head-on collisions between cars and semi-trucks are rarely survivable for those in the smaller vehicle. Although the truck driver fortunately survived with non-life-threatening injuries, the outcome could easily have been worse for both drivers and anyone else on the road at that hour. Investigators should review black box data and witness accounts to understand how long the vehicle was traveling the wrong way and whether any warning or intervention could have prevented the collision.
At this point, there isn’t enough public information to draw conclusions, but a thorough investigation should look at everything from ramp design and signage to medical fitness to drive in order to understand what went wrong.
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