A quiet Memphis neighborhood was the site of tragedy and chaos this past Saturday as a driving mishap claimed a life and left a trail of destruction. According to a Local Memphis report, the incident occurred just after 7:30 p.m. when a vehicle barreled through a fence and crashed into a house on Jackson Avenue. The driver was taken to Regional One Health in critical condition and was later pronounced dead. A passenger also suffered injuries and was reported to be in non-critical condition.
Neighbors have characterized Jackson Avenue as no stranger to this kind of wreck, with speeds on the road often reaching dangerous levels. "I had a vision. I said to myself, ‘I wouldn’t want to have a house on this particular street’ only because the cars can run into it," Jabari Williams, a resident, said, per WREG report. His premonition grimly came to reality when he learned of the accident later that evening.
The Memphis Police Department is continuing to investigate the crash. At 8:34 p.m., a Nissan Armada was reported to have swerved over a median, before striking the fence and then the house. The force of the impact left a noticeable scar on the neighborhood; a previously brick-adorned sitting area outside the home was reduced mostly to rubble.
The sense of danger is palpable for those living in the vicinity of Jackson Avenue, with Sotolongo recounting multiple previous fatal incidents. "Speeding up and down. And they’ve taken off that pole down there three times," she stated, as detailed by Action News 5. "I’ve watched three people get killed by the church. They drive fast around here." It was a near-miss for her own family this time. The errant vehicle almost struck her home, causing a commotion she initially mistook for a household accident.
