Nashville, TN – A 64-year-old woman tragically lost her life Sunday night after being struck by a vehicle while attempting to warn oncoming traffic of a disabled car on the I-40 East exit ramp to Old Hickory Boulevard and Central Pike.
According to preliminary investigations, a black Chevrolet 1500 had wrecked and become disabled on the overpass exit ramp, partially blocking the right lane. A second vehicle, responding to the scene, stopped to assist the driver of the Chevrolet. Arbadellia Richardson, a passenger in the assisting vehicle, used her phone flashlight in an effort to alert approaching drivers about the wreck.
While Richardson was between the two vehicles, a Toyota Corolla driven by a 25-year-old man approached the scene. Despite the driver’s efforts to avoid the obstruction, he was unable to stop in time and struck Richardson, fatally injuring her. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the Toyota was transported to Summit Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries. He stated that by the time he saw the disabled Chevrolet and Richardson in the road, it was too late to avoid the collision. Authorities reported there were no signs of impairment at the scene.
The crash remains under investigation as authorities work to determine the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
