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Kentucky State Police (KSP) are continuing its investigation into a multi-vehicle collision on Interstate 24 in Livingston County on Monday afternoon that left three people dead, including two children, and closed the westbound lanes for several hours.

Troopers from the Mayfield Post say their preliminary investigation revealed a 2022 Kenworth truck with a 2011 Great Dane semi-trailer, operated by Mansur Kholikov, 24, of Brooklyn, N.Y., was traveling westbound on I-24. Traffic was slowed near the 32-mile marker westbound, approaching the construction zone at the Tennessee River Bridge.

For reasons that are still under investigation, the KSP says the truck operated by Kholikov did not slow down with the rest of traffic, resulting in a crash with several other vehicles and causing secondary collisions that ended up involving a total of five other vehicles.

One of those vehicles was fully engulfed in flames upon arrival of first responders and, KSP determined that there were three occupants of the burning vehicle, Saundra Dodd, 68, of Evansville, Ind., along with two children, whose names were not released. All three occupants were pronounced dead at the scene. Two occupants of other vehicles involved were flown to out-of-state hospitals by Air Evac. Additional involved occupants were transported to local hospitals. Kholikov did not report any injuries. 

The closure of the westbound lanes of I-24 led to a detour for drivers onto US Highway 62 for around 13 miles where traffic was able to return to the interstate, until the investigation concluded.

Another fatal accident was reported on the Edward Breathitt Parkway at the 29-mile marker just north of the Christian County-Hopkins County line. A pedestrian was killed in the afternoon accident.

Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were told that Dewey L. Huff, Jr., 59, of Clarksville, Tenn., had been helping change a flat tire on a semi on the northbound emergency lane of the parkway. Huff had completed the tire change and was standing in the right travel lane and talking with the semi operator when struck by Luke M. Warden, 36, of Columbus, Ga., who was northbound in a 2023 Subaru Outback, towing a camper. 

Huff was pronounced dead at scene by the Hopkins County Coroner’s Office.