The two truck drivers involved in a deadly accident that claimed two lives in Thomasville, Alabama, were reportedly in the country on work visas.
The FBI is involved in the investigation because the drivers are not U.S. citizens. According to reports, Russian translators were necessary since one of the drivers, Andrii Dmyterko, had limited English skills. Denys Kucher, 31, who was a passenger with Dmyterko, also possessed a work visa.
“They’re going to be held accountable,” said Thomasville Police Chief Mitchell Stucky. “We can’t allow our loved ones to be forgotten, and accountability is essential.”
The victims, Ashley Marie Springer McDonald, 37, and a local football coach’s single mother, Woody Beck, were stopped at a red light when the truck crashed into their vehicle from behind. Reports from WKRG indicate:
At approximately 11:51 AM on May 6, a loaded semi-truck collided with four vehicles that were halted due to a red light on the southbound lane of Highway 43, near the intersection of South Industrial Park Drive in Thomasville, Alabama, according to a press release from the Thomasville Police Department.
Video footage appears to show that Dmyterko did not apply the brakes before colliding with the four stopped vehicles.
Thomasville Mayor Sheldon Day initially speculated that the driver might have experienced a medical emergency during the incident, but WKRG reported that Dmyterko was seen walking around shortly after the crash and was later evaluated at the hospital.
“They were just stopped at a red light… it could have happened to anyone,” Stucky expressed.
Authorities are also looking into how Dmyterko obtained his Commercial Driver’s License (CDL).
“We are aware of the devastation caused by this event; two lives were lost, and others were injured. We need to uncover the facts, and our investigation will be thorough,” Day stated.
Reportedly, American truckers are advocating for reforms initiated during the Trump administration that would enforce regulations preventing foreign truckers from operating if they can’t comprehend English.
“These changes stem from executive orders awaiting the President’s approval,” the report highlighted. “The order instructs Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to ensure that drivers who fail to meet English proficiency standards are taken off the roads to enhance safety, along with reforms in other areas of the trucking industry.”
