Just before dawn on November 19, 2025, what began as a routine drive for Cristovao Cibangu, 48, and his passenger, 34‑year‑old Maria Isabel, turned into a nightmare that would forever change a Lewiston family. The two adults were fatally injured in a fiery collision on the Maine Turnpike in New Gloucester, leaving four children without their mom and dad and a community reeling.
According to state police, Cibangu was driving a 2017 GMC Acadia southbound on I‑95 shortly after 4:25 a.m. when the U‑Haul trailer he was towing unexpectedly detached from the trailer ball, though it remained linked by safety chains. He pulled the SUV over to the right shoulder near mile marker 71, but the trailer still stuck out into the roadway — a dangerous predicament on the dark highway.
Friends and neighbors say Cibangu and Isabel, both from Lewiston, were devoted to their family. On that cold November morning, they and four children were trying to figure out how to fix the trailer when disaster struck. A 2015 Audi SUV, driven by an adult man from Wales, Maine, plowed into the trailer and the abandoned GMC from behind.
Maria Isabel was pronounced dead at the scene, her life cut tragically short. Cibangu was rushed to Maine Medical Center in Portland with critical injuries. Despite the efforts of medical staff, he later succumbed to his wounds.
All four of the children — aged between 7 and 14 — were also taken to Maine Medical Center. Though they suffered only minor injuries, their emotional wounds are running deep. In the weeks since the crash, local organizations and neighbors have rallied around the family, raising funds to help support the children as they face a future without their parents.
The driver of the Audi survived the crash with minor injuries and was treated and released from the hospital. Authorities say no charges have been filed, and the crash remains under investigation as troopers continue to piece together exactly how events unfolded that early morning.
For the Lewiston community, the loss of Cibangu and Isabel has hit hard. Friends remember Cibangu as a caring father and Isabel as a warm presence whose laughter could light up a room. Their sudden deaths have left a void, but the outpouring of support around the children shows how tightly knit this community remains in the face of unspeakable loss.
In the weeks ahead, officials and family members hope that by sharing the story of Cibangu and Isabel, the focus stays not just on the tragedy, but on the resilience of the survivors and the strength of those who are stepping up to help them rebuild
