The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department in the United States has arrested a driver linked to a fatal hit-and-run incident that claimed the life of a Nigerian graduate, Oluwalayomi Fadero.
According to a report by a local US media outlet, WSMV4, obtained on Tuesday, the incident occurred on Friday after the suspect, Ray Eugene Padgett, allegedly stole a vehicle and fled.
Fadero, a recent graduate of Fisk University, was reportedly heading into her neighbourhood along Murfreesboro Pike when the suspect’s vehicle struck her car on the driver’s side, killing her on the spot.
The report stated that the owner of the truck tracked it to a location, and upon realising he was being followed, the suspect reversed and rammed into a vehicle behind him.
The police subsequently deployed a helicopter to monitor the situation. However, as the suspect attempted to escape, he reportedly rammed into an unmarked police vehicle, triggering a high-speed chase.
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“The intention at that point is to keep an eye on the truck until it finally stops, have ground units move in, and take the man into custody,” the MNPD Public Information Officer, Don Aaron, was quoted as saying.
The pursuit, which lasted about five minutes, reached speeds of up to 80 miles per hour along Murfreesboro Pike toward the county line.
It ended around 2:30 p.m. when the suspect drove into oncoming traffic near the intersection of Murfreesboro Pike and Hickory Woods Drive.
Police said he crashed into a white sedan driven by Fadero, pushing the vehicle approximately 100 yards into a ditch. The 23-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene.
The suspect was subsequently arrested and taken to hospital. He has been charged with criminal homicide.
Authorities said Padgett was on parole at the time of the incident.
“We believe that he was on parole when he stole the truck and set off the chain of events that claimed the life of an innocent Nashville woman who was returning home,” the police said.
Meanwhile, alumni and members of Fisk University, where Fadero graduated, have mourned her death.
“It’s heartbreaking to know she was near her home and close to where she lived,” a Fisk alumna, Jessica Williams, was quoted as saying.
Fadero’s former professor, Janet Walsh, described her as kind and compassionate, noting her commitment to volunteer work.
“These small acts of kindness and consideration truly make the world a better place. I’m honoured to have known her and witnessed her sense of global citizenship,” Walsh said.
A makeshift memorial has since been set up at the crash site along Murfreesboro Pike.
In addition, a GoFundMe account created to support her family with burial expenses had raised over $15,000 as of the time of filing this report.
