Two people were killed, and a third was injured after a Tennessee Highway Patrol pursuit ended in a violent crash on Interstate 24 West near mile marker 54 in south Nashville last Sunday night. Troopers shut down the westbound lanes for hours while investigators documented the scene and cleared debris.
Crash report names victims and notes seatbelt use
A crash report released to News 2 this week identifies the driver of the Volkswagen CC as 18-year-old David James Wheeler of Shelbyville and a passenger as 43-year-old Kisha Marable; both were pronounced dead. A 32-year-old passenger in the Volkswagen, who has not been publicly identified, was injured. The report notes that Wheeler was wearing a seatbelt and that the occupants of the Ford Escape, the Volkswagen struck, were also buckled and uninjured, according to WKRN.
Pursuit, road closures and response
According to investigators, troopers first attempted a traffic stop on the Volkswagen before the driver took off, leading to a pursuit that ended with the collision at mile marker 54 near the Antioch Pike and Harding Place exits on I-24 West. The Tennessee Department of Transportation's traffic feed and local TV coverage showed crews on scene late into the night, reconstructing the crash and removing wreckage, per NewsChannel5.
Family notice for driver
An obituary posted by Humphreys County Funeral Home and published on Legacy.com lists David James Wheeler, 18, of Shelbyville, as having died last Sunday in Nashville and sets visitation and funeral services for last Sunday in Waverly. Authorities have not released additional information about the other victim's family or the circumstances that led troopers to attempt the traffic stop.
Investigation ongoing
The Tennessee Highway Patrol says its investigation is ongoing and has not publicly detailed why troopers tried to stop the Volkswagen, according to local coverage. Officials have asked anyone with information or video from the area to contact the THP's Nashville office as investigators work to piece together the timeline of the pursuit and crash.
