Ider Man Killed in Multi-Vehicle Crash on I-59 in DeKalb County

T.L. Sullivan | The Weekly Ledger News | Breaking News | April 30, 2026

DEKALB COUNTY, Ala. — A Wednesday evening crash on Interstate 59 has claimed the life of an Ider man, according to authorities.

Image from DeKalb County EMA

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) reported that the crash occurred at approximately 5:20 p.m. on April 29 near DeKalb County Road 140, roughly one mile south of the Georgia state line.

Alvin D. Benefield, 62, of Ider, was fatally injured when the 2003 Ford F-150 he was driving struck a 2023 Volvo tractor-trailer operated by Kakha Melikidze, 43, of Staten Island, New York. Following the initial impact, Benefield’s vehicle then collided head-on with a 2020 Ford F-150 driven by Richard W. Bivins, 47, of Jacksonville.

Authorities stated that Benefield was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash, was ejected from the vehicle, and was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Bivins sustained injuries and was transported to Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga, Tennessee, for treatment. A passenger in the 2020 Ford F-150, Jermaine White, 53, of Verbena, was also injured and transported to Erlanger for medical care.

The driver of the tractor-trailer was not reported injured.

The crash remains under investigation by Troopers with ALEA’s Highway Patrol Division, and no further details have been released at this time.

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