Police say a Memphis man turned a Hickory Hill parking lot into a crime scene last week when he allegedly gunned his SUV toward a couple outside a neighborhood sports bar, launching the man into the air and onto the hood of another vehicle. Court documents identify the suspect as 39-year-old William Bass. Investigators say the male victim suffered visible cuts and scrapes, while the woman with him was not seriously injured. The couple later identified Bass as the driver, and officers reported a fight broke out after the impact.
What investigators say happened
According to investigators, surveillance video shows a Dodge Durango sitting parked before it suddenly accelerates straight at the pair. The man is thrown onto the hood of another car, and the woman falls to the ground. Police allege Bass and unidentified co-defendants then fought with the male victim after the collision before taking off from the scene in the Durango. Those details, along with the list of charges, are laid out in an affidavit reviewed by WREG.
Where it unfolded
The incident was reported outside Crazy Mexican Sports Bar on Winchester Road in the Hickory Hill neighborhood. Business listings place the Winchester location at 6433 Winchester Rd in southeast Memphis, which matches the address investigators listed as the scene. That stretch of Winchester is a busy commercial corridor lined with bars and restaurants, according to MapQuest.
How police tracked the suspect
One of the victims told officers that two cell phones were taken during the chaos. Investigators say they were able to trace one of those phones to a residence in southeast Memphis, where they found a woman matching the description of an associate involved in the incident. Bass was later arrested and booked on charges of attempted first-degree murder, two counts of assault, and reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon. His bond was set at $350,000. Detectives say they are still following up on leads, and additional arrests or charges could come as the case develops, according to the affidavit obtained by WREG.
What comes next
Bass remains in custody and is expected to appear in Shelby County court as the investigation continues and prosecutors review the file. Authorities say the case is active and are asking anyone with information to contact the Memphis Police as they work to build the full record of what happened outside the Hickory Hill bar that night.
