Oklahoma State Professor Among Two Killed in Wrong-Way Collision in Maine

FALMOUTH, Maine (AP) — Two motorists were killed and a passenger critically injured on Interstate 295 on Monday when a motorist traveled the wrong way, causing a head-on collision, state police said. Busy holiday traffic came to a standstill for hours.

A motorist from Oklahoma, 61-year-old Allen Apblett, was killed and his spouse injured when a vehicle driven by 72-year-old Nancy Ezhaya entered the highway about 10 a.m. traveling south in the northbound lanes, state police said.

The collision happened near Exit 11 in Falmouth, a few miles north of Portland.

The highway was closed for about three hours on Memorial Day.

Both drivers were pronounced dead at the scene, state police said.

Alpbett was a chemistry professor at Oklahoma State University.

Apblett’s wife was critically injured and taken to Maine Medical Center in Portland.

Oklahoma State University released the following statement on Apblett’s passing:

The Cowboy family mourns the loss of Dr. Allen Apblett. He served the university’s chemistry department for over 25 years, cementing a legacy of scholarship and inspiring countless students. A distinguished fellow of the American Chemical Society, the National Academy of Inventors and the American Ceramic Society, Dr. Apblett was published over 100 times, holds multiple patents and awards and made lasting contributions to his field. The thoughts of the entire Cowboy family are with Dr. Apblett’s family at this time.