An early-morning ride down Knoxville's Cumberland Avenue ended with mangled sidewalks, shattered glass, and a Nashville teenager facing a long list of charges, after police say a Mercedes slammed off the roadway and into street-side fixtures on Saturday.
Court records identify the driver as 17-year-old Boston West of Nashville. No injuries were reported.
According to WATE, Knoxville police and University of Tennessee officers responded around 3:15 a.m. after a Mercedes traveling west on Cumberland Avenue left the road near 19th Street. The outlet reports that court documents state West told investigators he was likely going about 90 miles per hour when the car hit a light pole, a tree, a bike rack, and a bench.
Damage on the Strip
The crash scattered debris along the stretch of Cumberland Avenue known as the Strip, with wreckage reportedly flying into the newly opened Cumberland Food Hall. Windows in the dining space were blown out in the impact.
Vol Dining notes that Cumberland Food Hall sits on the first floor of Hub Knoxville at 1915 Cumberland Avenue and serves both University of Tennessee students and the broader Knoxville community. The damage briefly shut down part of the Strip early that morning, according to court records.
Charges and evidence
Court records reviewed by WATE list multiple charges against West, including driving under the influence, evading arrest (flight involving a vehicle), felony reckless endangerment involving a vehicle, simple possession/casual exchange, driving while license suspended, vandalism between $2,500 and $10,000, and speeding.
Investigators reportedly found a mason jar containing about 30 grams of marijuana inside the Mercedes, and officers noted that West smelled of alcohol and had bloodshot, watery eyes, according to the records. The documents also state that no injuries were reported in the incident.
What happens next
The court records outline the alleged offenses and indicate that the case will move through Knox County's court system. Public filings reviewed for this report did not list an arraignment date, and prosecutors will determine formal filings as the case proceeds.
