Woman, Dog Killed in Fiery Tractor Trailer Crash on I-65
REPORT UPDATED
WHITE HOUSE, TENNESSEE: (Smokey Barn News) – A driver and her dog were killed in a fiery crash on I65 Thursday morning when two tractor trailers collided between Portland and White House. The crash occurred near the Highway 52 exit, the first call coming into 911 at 4:23AM.
According to Cross Plains Fire Chief Tommy Jackson, a tractor trailer pulled onto the shoulder with a flat tire when another tractor trailer impacted it from behind.
The impact triggered an immediate fireball and killed the female driver of the rear-ending semi, along with her pit bull. The cab was crushed and detached from the frame due to the force of the crash. The victim was badly burned.
According to Chief Jackson, one truck was hauling toothpaste and Orajel; the other was carrying general household goods. Debris is scattered across the interstate, and the shoulder so it will take time to clear the road. One lane is currently open to traffic. Drivers should expect delays and may want to consider alternate routes, though Highway 31W is likely to be congested as well.
With high heat and ongoing traffic disruptions, drivers are urged to use caution and avoid getting stuck in backups.
Robertson County EMS, EMA, the Tennessee Highway Patrol, White House City Fire Department, and Cross Plains Fire Department all responded to the scene. No other vehicles were involved, and no injuries were reported for the second driver.
More details have emerged following a fatal crash on I-65 South that killed a semi-truck driver and her dog in the early morning hours of June 26.
UPDATE: According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol, 59-year-old Vivian Kanash of Delaware was driving a 2021 Volvo tractor-trailer southbound on I-65 near mile marker 114 in Robertson County when the crash occurred around 4:27 a.m.
The preliminary report states that a 2015 Kenworth semi driven by a 60-year-old male from Ohio was disabled and parked on the right shoulder of the interstate when Kanash’s truck veered off the travel lanes and struck the rear of the parked semi.
After the impact, Kanash’s vehicle continued forward, caught fire, and came to rest off the right side of the roadway, facing west. The fire engulfed the cab, tragically killing Kanash and her dog inside.
The driver of the parked semi was not injured in the crash, and no charges have been filed.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol is leading the investigation. If any relevant data is released, Smokey Barn News will bring it to you.
