NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A family is mourning the loss of a Marine, father and twin brother after a crash on Interstate 40 in Hermitage turned deadly.
Metro Nashville police said 29-year-old Darius Woods stepped out of his vehicle to inspect damage after a crash Sunday morning when another driver struck him.
Investigators said Woods was driving a Dodge Journey that rear-ended a Nissan van, leaving his vehicle disabled in the far left lane of the interstate. Police said the van pulled onto the right shoulder while Woods got out of his vehicle to look at the damage.
While he was outside the car, an Acura MDX hit him, according to police. Woods was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he later died.
For his twin brother, Dijuan Woods, the loss is difficult to process. “Darius was my teacher. He was my best friend,” Dijuan said.
Twins often describe a connection that is hard for others to understand, Dijuan explained.
“It’s a certain level of understanding you have,” he said. “It’s like me and him could be in a room together and he wouldn’t even have to tell me he was having a bad day — I could feel it.”
The two brothers grew up sharing nearly everything.
“Didn’t matter if I had two toys… I got my brother with these two toys,” Dijuan said.
That close bond eventually led them both to serve their country. Dijuan joined the Navy while Darius became a Marine.
“They’re all saying he was a great Marine,” Dijuan said. “They loved him… and they cherished his musical ability.”
Dijuan said his brother was also known for his love of music and his role as a DJ, but his most important role was being a father to his two young children.
Not only did Dijuan lose a brother, he said — his mother lost a son, and two children lost their father.
Now, the family wants to make sure Woods’ children are supported in the years ahead.
Relatives have started a GoFundMe to help cover immediate needs and provide future support for the children.
You can also donate here:
Venmo : @d33jayjuan
Cash App: truewoodskennels
Dijuan hopes his brother’s kids will grow up understanding who their father was.
“I just want them to understand that he loved them more than anything,” he said. “I want them to know that he was full of love, full of laughter… full of light. Darius was a light himself.”
And despite the heartbreak, Dijuan said he plans to carry that light forward.
“I’m going to fight the thoughts that try to make me negative and stay positive,” he said. “I’m going to live my life in love for Darius.”
This story was reported on-air by reporter Aaron Cantrell and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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