Georgy Avgustovsky, the truck driver involved in the fatal collision with Sergei Puskepalis, speaks in his first interview with mk.ru about the moment that changed everything.
Avgustovsky describes the crash as occurring in a blink, just two to four seconds. In that fleeting span, his life veered off course. He lost his health, his job, and now faces an uncertain future. He recalls telling reporters that he may have to find a new line of work, perhaps as a watchman, as his prospects for returning to driving remain unclear. He also opened up about the injuries sustained: 15 broken ribs, a broken scapula, a concussion, and a lingering craniocerebral injury. He noted that the healing process has been slow, with a nerve issue causing ongoing numbness and a double-edged pain that makes his right eye reluctant to blink and his upper lip difficult to lift.
On the day of the tragedy, Avgustovsky was driving an empty truck from Pereslavl-Zalessky toward Rostov. He recalls the moment a Ford vehicle appeared around a corner, first colliding with the heavy truck ahead with a glancing blow. The impact was such that the front wheel burst, and soon afterward the Ford began to roll over. The car span about twice and then crashed into his windshield. He recounted the sequence in a cautious, almost clinical, fashion, detailing each jolt and twist as the vehicle slid through the path of his own truck.
Despite the dramatic events, Avgustovsky notes a surprising lack of contact from the artist’s circle. He says relatives or friends have not reached out, and that an inspector contacted him once to say the investigation continues. He maintains that the incident was not his fault. He was driving in his own lane when another vehicle lost control at a corner, struck a truck, and then struck him. In those seconds, life turned inside out, he reflects, underscoring how quickly circumstances can alter a person’s path.
For context, the September 20 collision on the M-8 Kholmogory highway claimed the lives of Sergei Puskepalis and his driver, Alexander Sinitsyn, when their car collided with two trucks in a chain of events that stunned onlookers. The accident added a tragic chapter to a year already marked by the actor’s recent appearances and festival screenings, including one of his final performances shown at the Winter Festival, which has since been recalled by fans and media alike as part of his enduring legacy.
The case continues to unfold as officials review footage, assess responsible parties, and study the sequence that led to the crash. In the meantime, Avgustovsky begins to reckon with the personal costs of the event, from medical recovery to the uncertain road ahead. The focus remains on healing and on understanding how a moment can redefine a life, a reminder of the fragility that underpins every day spent behind the wheel or on a stage.