NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV/Gray News) – A man is dead and several others were left injured after police said a drunken driver lost control and drove his car onto the sidewalk in downtown Nashville.
The Metro Nashville Police Department responded to Commerce Street and 4th Avenue North for reports of a crash involving injuries around 11:45 p.m. Thursday. They arrived to find multiple people hurt on the sidewalk.
Officers were told a car was being driven at a high rate of speed down Commerce Street and went up, onto the curb and into a group of people. Leroy Wienke was hit and fell, smacking his head on the concrete. He was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center where he later died.
Wienke’s wife, brother-in-law and sister-in-law were also hit by the car. They received treatment at the scene before being taken to Vanderbilt with non-life-threatening injuries.
The driver, 25-year-old John Williams, remained at the scene, along with three others who were in the car with him. One of his passengers was injured in the crash and transported to Vanderbilt as well.
Officers said Williams’ breath smelled of alcohol. He had bloodshot eyes and slurred, incoherent speech when responding to questions. Williams even needed help walking to the patrol car, according to the arrest affidavit.
Police searched the car and found multiple alcoholic beverage bottles, including Reposado tequila, the affidavit said. A strong odor of marijuana was also present in the car.
Williams was arrested and booked early Friday morning on three counts of reckless endangerment, three counts of vehicular assault and one vehicular homicide charge by intoxication. He remains in jail on a $105,000 bond.
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