NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A devastating early morning crash at the intersection of Demonbreun Street and 12th Avenue has claimed the lives of two people from Florida and left a trail of destruction and grief in its wake.
Authorities say the taxi they were riding in was struck by a speeding stolen SUV driven by a man with a lengthy criminal history.
The victims, identified as Kirk and Kathy Granfors, both in their 60s, were visiting Nashville from Florida.
According to police, the couple were passengers in a Toyota taxi van traveling west on Demonbreun around 2:40 a.m. Friday, when the incident occurred. Witnesses reported to police the cab had the green light when it was T-boned on the passenger side by a Jeep Grand Cherokee speeding south on 12th Avenue.
Kathy Granfors died at the scene. Her husband, Kirk, was rushed to Vanderbilt University Medical Center where he later succumbed to his injuries. The 37-year-old taxi driver was also taken to Vanderbilt with non-life-threatening injuries.
The suspect, identified as 37-year-old George Chaney of Nashville, was the only person found at the scene in the Jeep. Police say Chaney tried to flee but didn't get far because of his injuries and was taken to the hospital.
Police say the SUV had been stolen from an apartment complex in Berry Hill back in February. It was originally red but had been spray-painted black in an apparent attempt to conceal its identity.
Residents nearby were shaken awake by the impact. Aria Beard, who lives in the Gulch, described the scene as chaotic and terrifying.
“I remember just a whole lot of chaos, just loudness. Oh, my God. It woke me up out of my sleep. And I'm like, what is going on? Because it's normally really, really quiet,” Beard recalled. “When I came out, I seen glass everywhere, a car inside of a building, and it was just so crazy. I just didn't know what to do.”
Chaney is no stranger to law enforcement. A documented career criminal, he was on parole for heroin convictions and had registered with police as an ex-con in February. Just last month, on March 2, he was arrested on multiple charges, including auto theft and felony reckless endangerment after leading police on a high-speed chase in another stolen vehicle.
Despite the severity of the charges, he was released on a $49,000 bond.
A parole violation warrant was issued on March 20, but Chaney remained at large until Friday’s fatal crash. He now faces additional charges pending the outcome of an ongoing investigation and consultation with the District Attorney’s Office.
Authorities confirmed the Jeep involved in the crash was stolen but have not yet determined if Chaney was alone in the vehicle.
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My friend and colleague Carrie Sharp had a lot of fun last week, on an adventure to a country more than three thousand miles away! She’s back now – sharing her Adventures in Iceland through stories, and incredible images of this remarkably beautiful and unique island nation (kudos to Chief Photographer Catherine Steward)! But did you know Nashville has something very important in common with Iceland? Tourism! Here, Carrie explains how a volcanic eruption decades ago helped save the country’s economy from collapse!
-Rhori Johnston
