PADUCAH, Ky (News First) -On Saturday, September 14, at 5:17 a.m., the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office was alerted to a severe collision involving two semi-tractors in the eastbound lanes of Interstate 24 near the 9-mile marker. One semi-truck was overturned on its side, while the other was fully engulfed in flames.
According to the investigation, Saio Peters, 67, of Decatur, Georgia, was driving a 2017 Freightliner eastbound on Interstate 24. Zurab Bukhnikashvili, 61, of West Chester, Ohio, was stopped on the south shoulder of the eastbound lanes. Bukhnikashvili was outside his 2015 Volvo, attempting repairs when Peters’ truck struck him from behind.
The impact caused the 2015 Volvo to roll onto its right side, ultimately coming to rest on top of Bukhnikashvili, who was pronounced dead at the scene. Peters’ Freightliner collided with the center median cable barrier and caught fire. Peters suffered incapacitating injuries and was flown to an out-of-state hospital for treatment.
The collision also resulted in a spill of 5-gallon buckets of transmission fluid over the roadway. The eastbound lanes of Interstate 24 were closed for approximately 14 hours for scene management and cleanup.
Emergency response teams included the Paducah Police and Fire Departments, Reidland-Farley, Lone Oak, Hendron, and Concord Fire Departments, McCracken County DES, Kentucky State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement, McCracken County Coroner’s Office, Mercy Regional Ambulance, Stinnett’s Towing, and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.
The Bukhnikashvili family is in our thoughts during this difficult time.
