Nicholas John Kupec, Westbrook, CT Accident, Cause of Death: Waterford Man Perished in Westbrook, Connecticut, Crash on Interstate 95, Memorial Service

 According to Connecticut State Police, plywood that fell from a tractor-trailer caused a chain-reaction incident that resulted in a tragic multi-vehicle crash that closed a significant portion of Interstate 95 in both directions for about eight hours on Friday morning.

Around 7:45 a.m., a flatbed tractor-trailer transporting plywood was heading north on I-95 in Westbrook when the incident happened. Morning commuters experienced confusion as a result of the plywood load becoming dislodged and dispersed across both northern and southbound lanes, according to state police.

Five vehicles collided with a concrete barrier in the median and a metal beam guardrail on the right shoulder as a result of the debris. After suffering severe injuries, one of the drivers, Nicholas John Kupec, 39, of Waterford, was taken to Yale New Haven Hospital and subsequently declared deceased.

Three additional drivers suffered minor injuries in the collision and were sent to Middlesex Health Shoreline Medical Center in Westbrook. For a large portion of the day, Interstate 95 South was closed between exits 66 and 64 due to the collision, and Interstate 95 North was closed between exits 64 and 65.

In addition, because of structural damage from the collision, the Route 145 overpass, also called Horse Hill Road, is still closed between Pequot Park Road and Old Clinton Road.

Information regarding possible charges and whether the truck driver will receive tickets has not yet been made public by Connecticut State Police. The cause of the plywood spill and subsequent accident is still being investigated. While structural inspections and cleanup efforts continue, drivers are advised to look for other routes.