Update: The passenger of the Ford Focus involved in last night’s fatal crash on Charlotte Pike has been identified as Eduardo Benitez-Alamillo, 46. He died at Vanderbilt this afternoon. The vehicular assault charge against Mr. Sterling for injuring Benitez-Alamillo will now be upgraded to vehicular homicide.
Vehicular homicide by intoxication and vehicular assault charges have been filed against the dump truck driver involved in Sunday’s 11 p.m. fatal crash on Charlotte Pike at Old Hickory Boulevard. The preliminary investigation indicates Nicholas Sterling, 23, of Ashland City, drove a Freightliner dump truck through the flashing red light heading southbound on Old Hickory Boulevard when it struck the driver’s side of a Ford Focus as it traveled east on Charlotte Pike.
The Ford driver, Kendall Cartwright, 38, of Nashville, died at the scene. Her male passenger, who had no identification on his person, has not yet been identified. He was transported to Vanderbilt University Medical Center with critical injuries.
Sterling was also transported to Vanderbilt with minor injuries. There was an odor of alcohol on his breath and an open beer bottle was seen by responding officers in the floorboard of the dump truck.
A search warrant for a sample of Sterling’s blood was obtained.
Sterling was booked after his release from the hospital. He is currently jailed on $40,000 bond.
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Nicholas Sterling, 23