NASHVILLE, Tenn. — DNA found on a water bottle has played a crucial role in the arrest of a man believed to be responsible for a deadly hit-and-run crash that occurred more than two years ago.
On February 4, 2023, Kimberly Benezue, a 26-year-old mother, was tragically killed when the driver of a stolen Dodge Charger crashed into her vehicle and fled the scene. The collision took place at the intersection of Dickerson Pike and Old Hickory Boulevard in the early hours of the morning.
Court documents reveal that a nearby officer had attempted to stop the stolen Charger after it was observed performing donuts on the roadway before the crash. The Charger, along with several other vehicles engaged in street racing, sped away from the scene, evading the officer’s attempt to initiate a traffic stop.
Surveillance footage from nearby businesses captured the moment when the vehicles ran a red light before the Charger struck Benezue’s Mazda 3 at high speed. Investigators determined that the Charger was traveling at 69 mph, nearly twice the posted speed limit of 35 mph, when it collided with Benezue’s car.
Following the crash, the driver of the Charger did not stop to check on Benezue or her passenger. Instead, one individual from the vehicle quickly entered a waiting white sports car and fled the scene. The passenger in Benezue’s vehicle was taken to Skyline Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.
In the months that followed, investigators worked diligently to piece together evidence. It was through DNA analysis of water bottles found inside the stolen Charger that they were able to identify the suspected driver. DNA extracted from the bottles led authorities to 25-year-old Torione Bean Jr., who was subsequently arrested and booked into the Metro jail on Tuesday.
Bean has been charged with several serious offenses, including criminal homicide, drag racing with serious bodily injury, leaving the scene of an accident causing death, evading arrest, and vehicle theft. His bond has been set at $150,000.
This arrest marks a significant step forward in the case, bringing some measure of justice to Benezue’s grieving family. While the crash and its aftermath have left a lasting impact on the community, law enforcement hopes that this breakthrough will provide the closure needed to move forward.
