A late-night walk in Midtown ended in tragedy Thursday when a woman was struck and killed by a car on Union Avenue, according to police. Officers responded to the intersection of Union Avenue and Auburndale Street around 10:10 p.m., where they found the woman in the roadway and pronounced her dead at the scene. The driver stayed behind as investigators worked under flashing lights and closed lanes.
According to Action News 5, officers arrived shortly after 10:10 p.m. and found the victim unresponsive. The station reports that the driver remained on site while Memphis police launched an investigation into what led up to the crash. Authorities have not yet released the woman’s identity.
Pedestrian Safety In Memphis
Thursday’s death adds to a troubling, yearslong pattern of deadly crashes involving people on foot across the Memphis metro. Smart Growth America has ranked Memphis among the most dangerous metro areas in the country for pedestrians, citing wide, fast-moving arterial roads with limited safe crossing options.
Local planning documents from the Memphis MPO single out portions of Union Avenue and similar high-traffic corridors as “high-injury” segments where serious crashes cluster and where targeted safety projects are needed.
What Investigators Say
Police say the case remains under active investigation and have not said whether any citations or charges are expected. Action News 5 reports that investigators canvassed the surrounding blocks for witnesses while traffic officers documented the scene and collected evidence late into the night.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Memphis Police Department non-emergency line at 901-545-COPS.
Planners and safety advocates have long argued that steps such as adding crosswalks, narrowing or redesigning lanes, and adjusting signal timing can help cut down on pedestrian deaths. But those kinds of changes move slowly. The MPO and city planning documents list projects and studies aimed at reducing crashes on busy thoroughfares like Union Avenue, a long-term effort that local advocates say still needs urgent follow-through.
