A Memphis man faces serious charges after his pickup truck slammed into a scooter in downtown Nashville, causing life-threatening injuries to the scooter's young driver. Randolph Allen Ford, 73, is being held on felony vehicular assault and felony reckless endangerment charges following the harrowing incident that unfolded Saturday evening on 4th Avenue South.
The violent crash occurred as 23-year-old Leonard John Patrick Roecker was steering his Lime Scooter onto the roadway from the vicinity of the Listening Room Café. According to a witness cited by the Nashville Police Department, Ford's speeding Dodge Ram came up from behind and hit the scooter with devastating effect. Post-collision, the pickup careened off the road, crossed over a sidewalk, and finally halted after crashing into a utility pole and railroad ties in a parking lot.
Roecker, hailing from Muskego, Wisconsin, was rushed to Vanderbilt Hospital with critical injuries. Ford, having not worn a seatbelt, suffered head trauma upon impact and was also taken to Vanderbilt for treatment. Officers at the scene noted signs of impairment, and a subsequent search warrant allowed for a blood sample to be drawn for drug and alcohol analysis.
Today, after being discharged from the hospital, Ford faced arrest. Authorities set his bond at $15,000, as reported by the Judicial Commissioner. The investigation into the exact circumstances of the accident remains ongoing, with more details expected to emerge as the case progresses.
