Thomas Cahill, an 87-year-old from Bowling Green, Kentucky, was driving through downtown Nashville on Saturday afternoon with his 90-year-old wife in the front seat. In the back sat his wife’s caregiver, who was looking down at her phone as the car headed down Fourth Avenue South.
It was just past 12:30 p.m. when Cahill got close to the busy intersection at Broadway. The streets were full of weekend foot traffic. For reasons police are still trying to determine, Cahill failed to stop for the red light, and his 2013 Ford Fusion rolled straight through the intersection.
According to police, the caregiver in the backseat only looked up when she heard the sound of the car hitting pedestrians in the crosswalk. Four people who were stepping off the curb with the walk signal were struck right in front of witnesses.
Among those hit was 58-year-old Tim Wedlock, a tourist from Australia who suffered fatal injuries and later died at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Three other pedestrians—a 44-year-old man from Florida, a 58-year-old woman from Tennessee, and a 21-year-old woman—were taken to the hospital with serious injuries.
Both Cahill and his wife were taken to the hospital after the crash. Cahill was listed in critical condition, while his wife suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The caregiver in the backseat was not hurt.
Metro Nashville Police Traffic Division officers began investigating the crash right away. Officers confirmed that Cahill showed no signs of alcohol or drug impairment at the scene. That leaves investigators looking into other factors, such as a sudden health issue, driver confusion, or distraction.
As police check the car and review driver records, the crash has brought renewed attention to traffic safety around crowded downtown spots. Investigators are still putting together the exact timeline of events leading up to the red light violation.
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