MEMPHIS Tenn. — Four people are dead after a wrong-way crash on Walnut Grove Road near the Agricenter at Shelby Farms Monday morning.
The crash was another gut-wrenching reminder of the dangers drivers face on our roads.
Police said someone driving on the wrong side of the road hit a vehicle head-on. That wrong-way driver and three people in another one of the vehicles involved died.
Police said another person involved in the crash was taken to the hospital and should be ok.
They have not identified anyone involved.
Several people saw debris left over from this crash while heading to work this morning and it’s on the mind of many drivers who travel along Walnut Grove each day.
Concerned drivers like Stormy Taylor are worried about their safety after other deadly crashes in this area.
“When I saw that accident on my way in of course it’s dark and saw on both sides and had no idea that people had died. Had no idea,” Taylor said. “I just pray for those families because I imagine it’s going to be difficult for somebody for the holidays.”
Police haven’t said how the driver ended up in the wrong lane or any other factors that led to the crash, but Mayor Strickland said this is another example of the need to take steps to make our roads safer.
“I’ve had a conversation as recent as today with Chief Davis saying we need more of a presence out there to slow people down, to hold them accountable,” he said.
While drivers said they want to see more lighting in that area as well with the hope of preventing another tragedy, something that’s changed the lives of several families forever.
“It’s dark. Every time I come this way because I come every morning to get to work and it’s always dark. It concerns me too,” Taylor said.
That deadly crash isn’t the only one in that area in recent months.
In June, two other people were killed near that stretch of Walnut Grove Road when an off duty MPD officer hit their car traveling nearly 100 miles per hour on impact. That officer – who is no longer with MPD — was charged with two counts of vehicular homicide.