NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The mother of the man hit on Intestate 40 is sharing what she knows about the night he died on the roadway as a pedestrian.
Nashville police said Austin S. David, 22, of Mt. Juliet, died on I-40 East between the Donelson Pike and Stewarts Ferry Pike exits. Officers located him at 11:15 a.m. Police said it is unknown when the collision occurred although it may have happened as early as 2 a.m.
I've spoken to his mother Rachel Reed.
He was 6 feet tall and around 320 pounds.
Reed has learned her son was in a car with a friend returning home from Nashville on I-40 and that there was an argument. One way or the other, she said her son was either willingly dropped off or forced from the vehicle there on the shoulder of the interstate in the middle of the night.
It's still not clear how or exactly when he was hit or by whom. We do know there were no witnesses or vehicles that remained on the scene after he was hit. There is no TDOT cam video because they do not record.
Anyone with information about this fatal crash is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at nick.beres@newschannel5.com.
There are still so many families in East Tennessee hurting following the floods from Hurricane Helene in September. That made this year's running of the Santa Train extra special for many families in the northeast part of the state. This special Santa Express has been making an annual run in part of Appalachia for over 80 years.
-Lelan Statom
