A weeknight run to a neighborhood food truck turned into a nightmare in North Knoxville, where a four-year-old girl was critically injured after being hit by a vehicle near Cedar Lane and Merchants Drive on Wednesday night. She was rushed to the University of Tennessee Medical Center with life-threatening injuries and remains in critical condition. Officials say the crash followed an argument outside a nearby food truck, and the driver was taken into custody as police launched an investigation.
What police say
According to the Knoxville Police Department, officers were called around 9 p.m. on July 1 to the 100 block of Cedar Lane after reports that a child had been struck by a vehicle. Police say the driver, 54-year-old Charles Jump, had been working for the owner of a nearby food truck when a verbal dispute broke out.
As Jump tried to leave the parking lot, investigators say his vehicle hit the owner’s four-year-old daughter, who was playing on a curb. The department reports that during a physical confrontation that followed, the same vehicle also struck several nearby parked cars.
Neighbors recount chaotic scene
As reported by WVLT, neighbors described the family as Afghan immigrants who run a small halal food truck. Witnesses said the girl’s father sprinted toward the vehicle in a frantic attempt to stop the driver.
One witness told WVLT that "Habib grabbed him by the leg and had a desperate hold on him and was just screaming for God" as bystanders moved in. Residents said they are already talking about fundraisers and other support for the family while the child remains hospitalized.
Arrest and investigation
According to the Knoxville Police Department, Jump was arrested at the scene after officers learned he was driving on a revoked license and that he had an active domestic-assault warrant out of Sevier County. Violent Crimes detectives have taken over the case and say additional criminal charges related to the crash are possible as they review evidence and interview witnesses.
Officials have not yet filed any crash-specific charges while the investigation continues.
How to help
Local outlets report that neighbors are organizing fundraisers and checking on the family’s other children, who were nearby when the crash happened. WIVK notes that anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to contact the Knoxville Police Department as detectives continue their work on the case.
