Reginald Sutherland was driving north in the southbound lane of the Turnpike.

YORK (AP) – Authorities sought to determine why a 78-year-old Canadian motorist was traveling in the wrong direction on the Maine Turnpike when his van collided with another vehicle, killing himself and seriously injuring the other driver. The dead man was identified by state police as Reginald Sutherland of Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Sutherland was driving north in the southbound lane at around 8:30 p.m. Sunday when his Volkswagen Eurovan collided head-on with a Jeep Wrangler driven by Randy Forcier, 22, of Biddeford, police said.

There were no passengers in either car.

Forcier was airlifted by helicopter to Maine Medical Center in Portland, where he was listed in serious condition Monday with multiple injuries.

An accident reconstructionist will try to determine why Sutherland was driving the wrong way.

AP-ES-03-08-04 0805EST