NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A deadly crash on Lower Broadway is raising new questions about pedestrian safety and whether drivers carry enough insurance to protect themselves financially in crashes like this.
Click here for the latest updates on the investigation into the crash.
According to police, a Ford Fusion driven by an 87-year-old man ran a red light and struck a group of pedestrians crossing Broadway at 4th Avenue on Saturday afternoon. The pedestrians were in the crosswalk and had a walk signal at the time of the crash.
Timothy Wedlock, a 58-year-old man from Australia, was killed. Three others — one from Florida and two from Tennessee — were injured and rushed to the hospital.
Police have not released additional details about the investigation.
I spoke to a prominent Nashville attorney to find out about possible criminal charges and civil lawsuits a driver could face in an incident like this.
Attorney David Raybin, who spent years as a prosecutor and then a defense attorney representing people involved in deadly car crashes, said families in cases like this often face years of legal and financial fallout on two separate fronts.
"You're dealing with two tracks. One is the criminal case potentially brought by the state, the district attorney, and then you have the civil case brought by the family," Raybin said.
When it comes to potential criminal charges in a crash like this, most fall into one of two categories: reckless or negligent vehicular homicide.
Reckless vehicular homicide occurs when a driver knows their behavior is in danger of killing someone.
Criminally negligent vehicular homicide occurs when a driver should have known they were endangering someone while driving but did not.
"It depends on the negligence and the recklessness of the driver, and that determines the degree of homicide, if any, that it is," Raybin said.
That degree of homicide determines the length of any potential prison sentence.
As of Monday, August 3, 2026, it’s still up in the air what, if any, criminal charges will be filed for this crash.
Civil lawsuits are more common following deadly crashes and often happen even when no criminal charges are brought.
Raybin said the vast majority of drivers are underinsured when it comes to protection from civil lawsuits.
"People are running around with $150,000 worth of insurance, and today that's ridiculous. You should have at least a million-dollar umbrella policy in case you're involved in one of these catastrophic accidents," Raybin said.
I checked with a local insurance carrier, and that million-dollar umbrella policy could cost you an extra $300 per year, depending on your plan.
Raybin also recommends keeping a dash cam facing outward in your car at all times.
Raybin said investigators are likely working to piece together what was happening inside the car before and during the crash. He believes a civil lawsuit is likely.
"Based on what I saw, I think there's an extremely high probability that the estate of the deceased person will sue the driver for negligence in killing the person who was killed," Raybin said.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at robb.coles@newschannel5.com.
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