Fatal wreck in Bowling Green shuts down I-65

A fatal collision between a minivan and tractor trailer on I-65 causes traffic to come to a complete stop on Thursday, according to Kentucky State Police Trooper BJ Eaton.

"Today at 11:13, we got a call over an injury accident here at the 22 southbound I-65."

"We got a minivan which you can see right here behind us, and also a tractor trailer that was hauling corn," Trooper Eaton added.

As far as what the Kentucky State Police know, the 1999 Dodge Caravan was merging on to I-65 southbound when the driver went through the grass gore, cut across the interstate, causing the 1999 Peterbilt tractor trailer full of grain to collide in to the driver's side of the minivan.

"The tractor trailer was just unable to avoid him, but we got troopers on the scene right now, trying to determine exactly of why this happened or what was the cause of this," Trooper Eaton stated.

As police, firefighters and emergency management try to take care of the accident on I-65, which cause a spill of about 40,000 pounds of corn all over the road, Warren County Emergency Management Director Ronnie Pearson says that the road could take hours to return to normal.

"It's something that all the responders come together, we work fast and efficient as we can, and clean it up so we can get the public back on their way. Back to normal is probably going to take four to five hours. So, what we're doing is typically we're going to exit off all the traffic at exit 28, bypass the scene cause this is going to be tied up."

"Once the reconstruction is complete, we're going to be bringing in equipment to clean up the interstate, make sure it's safe for the driving public, and clear the wreckage from the highways to get it back open for the public," Ronnie Pearson stated.

35-year-old Steaven May of Morgantown was driving the Dodge Caravan without his seat belt on. He was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.

51-year-old Tractor trailer driver David Hancock of Greensburg walked away with little to no injury. He was wearing his seat belt during the accident.

All lanes are open for I-65.