NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The holiday weekend has brought an influx of people into Nashville, and officials are urging everyone to stay safe while still having fun. It’s already been a deadly week on the roads in the Mid-State.
A multi-vehicle crash on I-24 West near Old Hickory Boulevard killed one man and caused hours of traffic congestion. Daniel Roberts, 39, lost his life in the crash.
Lindsey Birdsong, a close friend of Roberts, met through her fiancé, who was one of his childhood friends. "They were childhood friends, and I came into the picture and just kind of joined their little group of friends," Birdsong said. "He was one of the funniest people I’d ever met."
Roberts died Tuesday morning just before 8 a.m. on I-24 West near Old Hickory Boulevard. "I dropped what I was doing. I was devastated," Birdsong recalled.
According to Metro Police, Roberts was stopped in heavy traffic when a Dodge Ram pickup truck, driven by a 27-year-old man, failed to stop and struck the rear of Roberts' car, traveling over the top of it. "It was hard to hear. Very hard to hear," Birdsong said.
The impact of the crash was fatal for Roberts, and four people in a separate vehicle were injured. The pickup truck driver told police he may have been distracted when he ran over Roberts' car.
AAA expects heavy traffic again this weekend, with 1.6 million Tennesseans traveling, this week. Birdsong urges people to avoid distractions while driving. "Look how quick it happens. Distracted or not, whatever happened, I wasn’t there. I feel for everyone involved regardless of who was responsible or not responsible for it," she said. "It’s tragic no matter how you look at it."
Birdsong remembers her friend as a talented chef. "He was just a bright light in a dark world. He was such a good person," she said. Roberts loved fishing and animals, especially his dog Gunner.
"We’re going to miss out on so much that could’ve been, and he’s going to miss out on what could’ve been," Birdsong said. "For those that didn’t know him, I’m sorry because he was truly a good person deep down."
A decision on charges for the driver of the pickup truck is pending the outcome of the continuing investigation. Police say he did not show signs of impairment.
Roberts' funeral is being held tomorrow at Murfreesboro Funeral Home.
Fundraising efforts are underway in Brownsville and Nutbush, TN to build a statue for a major superstar who was raised there, Anna Mae Bullock. You probably know her by her stage name, Tina Turner. I was a huge fan of Tina and glad to see efforts are underway to showcase more of her ties to West Tennessee.
-Lelan Statom
