Preliminary information indicated that three people were in the stolen vehicle. Police later confirmed that there were only two. This story has been updated.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — One person is dead, and two people are injured after a crash involving a stolen vehicle in Southwest Memphis.
Officers responded to the scene in front of the McDonald’s on South Third Street just before 6 p.m. Wednesday.
Police say two teenagers in the first vehicle, which was carjacked, were taken to Regional One. An elderly man was in the second vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Witnesses said the elderly man was ejected from his white truck and killed. The alleged carjackers were in a black car.
A paramedic on the scene says when they cut the two carjackers out of the vehicle, the driver wore gloves and a ski mask. Both juveniles are being charged with carjacking and employment of a firearm during a dangerous felony.
Witnesses say the drivers were speeding to get through a red light when they collided with the truck. Fast driving is common in the area, according to drivers. “You never know what’s going to happen because every day it’s something going on in the city,” said Dayjuan Coleman, driver.
The incident is another reminder of the epidemic of carjackings and car thefts in Memphis. More than 11,000 vehicles were stolen in the city last year. That’s twice as many as the year before.
This year, we’re already on track to shatter last year’s record with more than 4,500 car thefts.
Police say one of the teens remains in critical condition at the hospital, and the other has been transported to juvenile court.
Memphis Police have not said whether or not the teens will face any additional charges related to the death of the driver.