When people leave the scene of a serious car crash, they are often putting the lives of others in danger and complicating police and accident investigations.
A crash in Knoxville that left a passenger dead earlier this month has resulted in the arrest of the driver, who apparently fled the scene on foot. The fatal car accident happened on Castle Street last week, according to the Knoxville Police Department.
The man was apparently driving a Nissan Altima north on Castle Street, while a Ford vehicle was traveling in the opposite direction. The driver of the Ford apparently noticed that the Nissan was swerving back and forth across both lanes. The vehicles collided head-on in the northbound lane of the road, and the driver of the Nissan apparently fled on foot. A large bag of marijuana was later found in the car.
A 23-year-old front-seat passenger in the Nissan died in the wreck. Two other passengers in that vehicle, ages 22 and 23, respectively, were treated at University of Tennessee Medical Center. They were later released.
The 73-year-old driver of the Ford and his passenger was also injured in the crash. They were also treated and released from the University of Tennessee Medical Center.
The driver of the Nissan, meanwhile, was wanted for questioning by police. He reportedly turned himself in over the weekend, and police say charges are likely to be filed against him for his role in the accident.
Source: Knoxville News Sentinel, “Man believed to have been involved in fatal crash surrenders to police,” Lance Coleman, May 19, 2012