On Monday, February 16, 2026, a fatal traffic collision claimed the life of 29-year-old Drew Cookenmaster of Hodgenville, Kentucky, along Interstate 65 near the Hardin and Bullitt county line, according to the Kentucky State Police.
The crash occurred around 9:46 a.m. in the northbound lanes near mile marker 103, just north of the Joe Prather Highway ramp. Emergency crews and law enforcement personnel responded to the scene, where they discovered a devastating rear-end collision involving a passenger vehicle and a tractor-trailer.
Investigators determined that traffic in the area had slowed significantly due to a separate, earlier crash approximately three miles ahead near mile marker 106 in Bullitt County. Cookenmaster, driving a Hyundai Elantra, was traveling northbound when his vehicle struck the rear of a tractor-trailer driven by 52-year-old Shakisha Brewington of Schertz, Texas. The impact proved fatal, and Cookenmaster was pronounced dead at the scene by the Hardin County Coroner.
The driver of the tractor-trailer was uninjured in the collision, and no other injuries were reported. Emergency crews and law enforcement remained at the scene for several hours while investigators reconstructed the crash. The northbound lanes of I-65 at the Joe Prather exit were closed for approximately three hours as troopers documented evidence and cleared the wreckage.
The Kentucky State Police Post 4 continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the fatal collision, with the investigation remaining ongoing. The closure of the northbound lanes caused significant traffic delays in the area, and motorists were advised to seek alternate routes while crews worked at the scene.
Drew Cookenmaster’s death has sent shockwaves through the Hodgenville community, where he was known as a 29-year-old resident whose life was cut tragically short on a Monday morning commute. His family has been notified of his passing and now faces the difficult process of mourning while awaiting further information from investigators. The loss serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by slowed traffic on interstate highways and the devastating consequences that can occur when vehicles fail to stop in time.