NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Last month local business owners captured a shocking video of a car mowing down three pedestrians on a Saturday night in Wedgewood Houston.
Police say the driver is 32-year-old Yaseen Al Doori. Officers say after the coverage of the crash, Al Doori reached out to Metro Police's special hit-and-run investigative unit, saying he was driving that night and was not sure if he had hit something. He has since turned himself in and is facing charges.
And this week drivers will notice Houston Street, where the crash happened, looks completely different. Houston Street is home to several local favorites: bars, restaurants, a hotel and, soon, residential units.
"It's just an excellent urban core neighborhood for Nashville," said Council Member Colby Sledge, who represents the area.
But the terrifying crash injured three and shined a spotlight on a problem that had already been approved for a future fix.
"It [the crash] pushed me to say 'we gotta get this done now,'" Sledge said.
As of Tuesday, Houston Street runs eastbound only, transformed into a one-way street. That means drivers can no longer turn onto it from Fourth Avenue S., which includes a steep drop as cars pass over railroad tracks.
"We've had cars get stuck on the railroad tracks, we've had cars crash at the intersection because you can't see how steep it is," Sledge said. "It creates a really dangerous intersection."
Nearby Chestnut Street, considered a main thoroughfare in the area, remains open to two-way traffic.
Sledge says business owners not only asked for the change in the growing neighborhood, but reached into their own wallets to cover it.
"Sometimes things take a little longer than they should, quite honestly, and so a business owner AJ Capital stepped forward and helped fund the striping and signing for this," he said.
In fact, NDOT confirms AJ Capital covered the cost of the entire project. Future phases include additional concrete and planters to both control traffic and beautify the area.
During the crash that happened December 3, the car involved was traveling westbound on Houston Street. That's the direction that is no longer permitted.
"Pedestrians are more easily seen now, the traffic is slower because there's parking on both sides that is very formulaic and we removed that dangerous intersection with the railroad crossing," said Sledge.
That way more friends end their nights in Music City on a high note. And get home safely.
Metro Police's hit-and-run unit investigates 5,000-6,000 reports of hit-and-run crashes every year.
