Update: The deceased is identified as William Edward Robinson of 30th Avenue North.
The deceased is identified as William Edward Robinson of 30th Avenue North.
A 22-year-old Nashville man fatally injured himself Friday night after he crashed an Infiniti G37 sedan into the retaining walls of the Briley Parkway south exit ramp off I-40, physically jumped over the right retaining wall and fell a significant distance to the grassy area adjacent the Briley Parkway north exit ramp.
Officers rendered aid to the man before he was transported to Skyline Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. Efforts last night and today to locate his next of kin have been unsuccessful.
The investigation shows that a Hermitage Precinct officer was traveling west on I-40 at 8:11 p.m. Friday when he saw the Infiniti merge onto the interstate with a loosely attached expired license plate that was flopping in the wind. The officer activated his blue lights and attempted a traffic stop, but the Infiniti accelerated at a high rate of speed and moved over to the far left lane. The officer did not pursue the car and turned off his blue lights, which were on for a total of 18 seconds. Another officer was traveling on I-40 west and saw the Infiniti pass him at a high rate of speed. The car moved over to the far right lane and took the Briley Parkway south ramp. Evidence showed the Infiniti struck the left retaining wall, then the right, before coming to a stop on the right side of the ramp. The officers drove up to see the driver get out of the car, run behind the Infiniti, and jump over the wall.
At the time of this occurrence, the driver was wanted in Sumner County on an outstanding felony probation violation warrant. Inside the Infiniti, officers found a Glock pistol equipped with a switch to make it fully automatic, 22.7 grams of crystal meth, 55.7 grams of a white powder, 17.1 grams of a purple powder, two digital scales and a drum magazine with bullets.
Detectives anticipate classifying the man’s death as accidental pending the autopsy report from the Medical Examiner.