A Knoxville man has admitted his role in a January 2023 drag-racing crash on Magnolia Avenue that left a 65-year-old grandfather dead and his two grandchildren injured. Tra'Shawn Glass, 22, entered a "blind plea" Wednesday, facing a series of charges including vehicular homicide by drag racing and two counts of reckless aggravated assault. This means Glass has not negotiated a recommended punishment with Knox County prosecutors, leaving his fate in the hands of Knox County Criminal Court Judge Steve Sword, who is scheduled to determine his sentence on June 28, WBIR reported.
Authorities say the deadly incident unfolded when Glass and another driver, Trinity Clark, 23, were allegedly racing their Dodge Chargers and ran a red light, slamming into an SUV driven by Michael Williams. Williams was transported to the hospital where he succumbed to his injuries, while two children, then ages 11 and 6, suffered serious injuries and required multiple surgeries and extensive physical therapy, WVLT detailed. Glass could face three to six years in prison for the vehicular homicide charge along with two to four years for each count of aggravated assault. Whether his sentence will be served consecutively or concurrently has yet to be agreed upon.
The incident not only resulted in a loss of life but also highlighted the reckless endangerment of innocent bystanders in urban drag racing. The Knoxville Police Department's investigation revealed that the crash occurred near Milligan Street and had a profound impact on the victims' return to normalcy, as the children involved did not return to school until August of the following year, as reported by WATE.
Meanwhile, Glass's co-defendant, Clark finds herself still entangled in the judicial process, awaiting trial with her next court date set for May 9. Adding to her legal woes, Clark's driving privileges were revoked following her February 14 encounter with University of Tennessee police, where she was cited for driving the wrong way on a one-way street and it was discovered that her license had been suspended since September. Despite these circumstances, Clark has managed to stay out on bond, as highlighted by WBIR.
