December 13, 2023 – Metro Nashville Police are searching for the driver of a stolen truck after he fled from police and caused an accident that left one person dead on Tuesday.
The investigation continues into Tuesday’s 2:30 p.m. fatal crash at the intersection of 51st Avenue North and Michigan Avenue that claimed the life of a passenger in a 1993 Chevrolet 2500 pickup truck.
Prior to the crash, an officer attempted to stop the driver of the pickup for not having a license plate. The truck was traveling northbound on Morrow Road. The driver did not stop and turned right into an alley between Michigan Avenue and Kentucky Avenue, traveling a short distance before going off road and turning into an open lot. The pickup then turned onto Michigan Avenue. The officer, seeing that the driver was not going to stop, turned off his emergency equipment and did not follow. He continued through the alley and then turned onto Michigan Avenue where he was flagged down by witnesses to the crash.
The preliminary investigation shows that the pickup truck fled from the traffic stop, traveling east on Michigan Avenue at a high rate of speed. The driver ran a stop sign at the intersection of 51st Avenue North and Michigan Avenue and was struck in the rear by the driver of a Buick Envision. The driver of the Buick had the right of way and could not avoid the collision. The pickup traveled a short distance before crashing head-on into a utility pole. The force from the impact caused the utility pole to break near the base. The truck went airborne and came to rest upside down on top of the utility pole.
A witness observed the driver of the pickup flee the scene on foot. He is described as a white man who appears to be in his mid-30s. He had short hair and was wearing a dark colored sweatshirt and blue jeans. Police searched the area for him, but he was not located.
A passenger of the pickup truck, later identified as Jessie Knox, 43, of Nashville, was partially ejected. After NES confirmed that the electrical wires on and around the truck were safe, Nashville Fire Department medics confirmed that the passenger was deceased.
The driver of the Buick did not report any injuries while on scene and declined medical treatment.
The involved pickup truck had been stolen from a residence on Spring Path Lane in South Nashville earlier in the day on Tuesday.
Anyone with information about the driver of the pickup is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463.
MORE CRIME NEWS
Source: MNPD
Subscribe to our Newsletter!
