Two people were killed, and three others were hurt after a violent early-evening crash on Wednesday at the busy intersection of Poplar Avenue and Yates Road in East Memphis. Memphis police say officers arrived just before 7 p.m., where a man was pronounced dead at the scene and another person, taken to a hospital in critical condition, later died. Three additional people suffered non-critical injuries, and investigators shut down the intersection while they worked the scene.
According to Action News 5, officers found one victim dead at the scene and another who died after being transported in critical condition. Three others were treated for non-critical injuries, and all lanes in the area were blocked as investigators processed the crash site. The Memphis Police Department also urged drivers to use alternate routes while the investigation was underway.
Poplar Corridor Has A History Of Serious Crashes
Poplar Avenue has seen other recent deadly incidents, adding a grim backdrop to Wednesday night’s wreck. Earlier this month, Hoodline covered a pedestrian death on Poplar involving a woman who was fatally struck on the busy corridor; see coverage of the fatal pedestrian crash on Poplar for background.
City planning documents for the Union-Poplar corridor note heavy daily traffic and elevated crash rates along the route, and they recommend safety improvements to better protect people traveling through the area; see City of Memphis planning documents.
Investigation Underway
The Memphis Police Department is still investigating and has not yet released details about what caused the collision or the identities of those involved. Action News 5 reports that the station will update its coverage as authorities release more information. Police temporarily closed the intersection while they processed the scene on Wednesday evening.
We will update this post when officials share additional details. For ongoing traffic alerts and road closure updates near Poplar, drivers should monitor official Memphis Police or City of Memphis channels.
