A dozen traffic investigators have been assigned to find hit and run suspects in the Metro Nashville area. They have a clear message for anyone who leaves the scene of a crash: we're coming for you.
Detectives investigate 125 to 150 hit and runs every week in the Nashville area according to traffic section commander Lt. Michael Gilliland.
"We have shifted some of those cases of the hit and run over to those fatal crash investigators to follow up upon when they're not working fatal crashes or life threatening crashes," Gilliland said.
10 fatal crash team officers are helping out with the back log and they're taking it seriously. There are 2 full times detectives assigned to investigating hit and runs currently.
"This is a personal crime," he said. They're looking for ya and they're coming."
This year to date, the traffic unit has investigated over 6,100 crashes. As population grows, crashes increase. If you're involved in a hit and run, try to write down or remember the driver's plate number, and call police.
Gilliland said, "Please do not follow the suspect vehicle it could be a danger for you or anybody in the vehicle with you so we don't encourage that."
If you don't have any evidence or make a delayed report, police may have trouble nailing a suspect.
Gilliland said, "Unfortunately for the victim, those cases are not going to be looked into."
As traffic investigators work to get hit and run numbers down, you can help. If you come out to your car in a parking lot on private property and it's been hit, you can fill out aform here. However, if the damage is major, call police.
