Head-on crash takes Nashville man's life

Some how-some way she will get away with this because of the peaple she knows and the court will not deal with them at all. When you go in front of the judge so many times they just want you out of the way. God help her if this was Marshal CO.

I bet she has told one of her friends how hammered she was once she got out of the hospital.

wow! Just worked a double and said she was drinking last night? Do they let employees work and drink? Could be trouble for the place of employment.

FTHLTAD!

I am Shelby's cousin, I know first hand what kind of person she is. Several years ago she told lies that caused a man to have to spend time in jail for something he didn't do. People say she is too young to know right from wrong...B.S. Although my heart goes out to this mans family for his lost life.. I believe in ...maybe some jail time will help this little girl get right with the wrongs she has committed!!!!

As a night shift worker that works 12 hours with an hour drive, I have an immense interest in driving while sleepy. Like 3boxers, I have become extremely sleepy while driving, unlike him/her I have not had an accident. Why, I really don't know, as I have come close to running off the road. I know many have come out against drinking while driving, which I agree with, recent research has shown that "driving while sleepy" is as dangerous as "driving while impaired". I know as adult, it is very hard to concentrate while sleepy and even more so for an inexperienced teenager. In this incident an innocent man lost his life no matter what the cause and a very young lady will have to live with it for the rest of her life no matter what the courts decide. The AAA foundation has information on "driving while sleepy" at its web site and for those interested here's the link: http://www.aaafoundation.org/resources/i....

Ok, so I've read all of the comments on this page. I'm horrified at some of the nasty things said on this page. Yes, there was a mans life taken. It is horrible and I pray for his family to have the strength to get through this unfortunate event. Now, as for Shelby. First leave her home life at home where it belongs. Her father is a very hard working man and no matter how good of parent you are you never truly know where your children are 24/7. Teenagers lie, they're teenagers. They make mistakes. Its how all of us learn. Now, her BAC test came back negative. She was not intoxicated. Simple as that, the tests don't lie. So please, stop arguing this point. The only thing she should be convicted of as far as the drinking is concerned is underage consumption. She did admit to drinking the previous night, so yes she should deal with those consequences, but please do not confuse that with DUI. As for her pulling late shifts at the age of 17...some of us are not as fortunate to be given everything on a silver platter. Yes, at that age, school should be your number one priority. But also, a lot of teenagers have to grow up quick and while they are still at that age where they're still technically a child, they're also a young adult that has to take care of themselves. It's reality. Please, do not judge her for this. We've all had to do it. Nothing would ever be said about her working had this not happened. Now, she fell asleep. Everyone has an opinion about this. But, having experienced this first hand please let me enlighten some of you. Four years ago, I fell asleep at the wheel. Thankfully I was the only one injured. However, I can still remember like it was yesterday, the exact spot, the exact song that I was listening to. Actually I remember seeing the curve that I wrecked on...thats how quick it happened. I was on my way home because it was close to my curfew (see, even when you aren't out at all hours of the night it can still happen), it was about 10:45. I knew I was tired but was totally aware and hadn't had a drop to drink...ever. I seen the curve and the next thing I know I woke up with a busted face in a ditch. See. It happens. Its an accident. Please everyone, she knows what has happened. Please let her and her family deal with this, and remember it was an accident. A very unfortunate accident.

I don't know a lot about the law either but I would think vehicular homicide would be something you did intentional to cause the accident like drinking or doing drugs. I personally do not think falling asleep is an intentional act, to me that would be like saying if you have a heart attack or stroke while driving and have an accident it was intentional. But this is just my opinion

Yes....accident or not, I do think she should be held responsible/accountable. She admitted to drinking the night before, although some on here are saying her BAC was negative, and I really do hope it was. But, the fact remains that a man died because she got out of her lane of traffic and hit him. That shows that even if she wasn't intoxicated, she didn't have control of her vehicle.

I don't know much about the law, so someone please enlighten me here, but according to TN Code Annotated, the definition for vehicular homicide is:

39-13-213. Vehicular homicide. --

(a) Vehicular homicide is the reckless killing of another by the operation of an automobile, airplane, motorboat or other motor vehicle, as the proximate result of:

(1) Conduct creating a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury to a person;

(2) The driver's intoxication, as set forth in § 55-10-401. For the purposes of this section, "intoxication" includes alcohol intoxication as defined by § 55-10-408, drug intoxication, or both; or

(3) As the proximate result of conduct constituting the offense of drag racing as prohibited by title 55, chapter 10, part 5.

(b) (1) Vehicular homicide under subsection (a)(1) or (a)(3) is a Class C felony.

(2) Vehicular homicide under subsection (a)(2) is a Class B felony.

(c) The court shall prohibit a defendant convicted of vehicular homicide from driving a vehicle in this state for a period of time not less than three (3) years nor more than ten (10) years.

Doesn't Section (a) reckless killing of another,(1)conduct [i.e. falling asleep at the wheel] creating a substantial risk of death... make sense in this incident?

Or, since she's a juvenile, does a different set of rules apply?

Just wondering......

If her blood test did indeed come back negative, she should still face charges for taking another person's life---even if it was an accident.

-- Posted by bedfordcoresident on Thu, Dec 18, 2008, at 12:37 PM

What? By that same logic I guess when someone dies during surgery the doctor should be charged with taking someone's life also.

Glad to hear her test came back negative! Seems there should be another news article stating Shelby wasn't drinking when the accident happened.

K___Collins39

There were hardly any places left to park. Like I said before, this is not the first time they didn't show up. Once yes. 3 times no. Why should I support and praise them when they don't have the respect for me or you to show up when someone calls. Maybe when one of your family gets killed by these two idiots that were swerving back and forth across the line, you wouldn't support them if you called them and they did nothing. Hell, I can't even get one to speak on the streets, wave, or show up when called. They all act like they are better than everyone else and that is THE MAIN REASON that kids these days do not respect them and I don't blame them. They act like no one else has dangerous jobs. I am definitely not going to ride along with them. Besides, I really don't want to sit at the Police station or the Waffle House all day!

One beer, one accident, It only takes one time, and I am sure that everyone, 90%, on this blog has had one beer and gotten behind the wheel. it only takes once.

I am brother of Elmi i will join you to post life story of elmi and i say thanks to blogger who wishes for us his thoughts and prayers.

ok she killed a man but yet she is the victim? mmm just because the man was from another country... she is still guilty!!! some of you people make me sick........

-- Posted by brownpride on Tue, Dec 16, 2008, at 9:03 AM

Please tell me exactly what You think she is guilty of?

This was a car accident, brownpride they call them accidents for a reason. If she was not drunk then it was still an accident no matter if he was green with yellow poka dots.

Why can't we all just keep our opinions to ourselves out of respect for BOTH families of each victim? Think of how you would feel if it were your daughter, or your loved one who's life was lost. And what good do you think your comments are going to do anyway?

OK FIRST, I PERSONALLY KNOW SHELBY AND IS VERY CLOSE TO HER...I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT EVERYONE IS SAYING SHE DESERVES THIS AND THAT BC HONESTLY...THE GAZETTE NEEDS TO GET THEIR STORY STRAIGHT...I DO KNOW SHE DID ADMIT TO DRINKING BUT WHAT THE STORY FAILED TO MENTION WAS THAT SHE WAS NOT...WAS NOT INTOXICATED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT... WHAT SHE REALLY ADMITTED TO WAS DRINKING THE PREVIOUS NIGHT THEREFORE WHEN SHE WAS DRIVING SHE WAS COMPLETLY SOBER..IT IS A POSSIBLE CHANCE THAT THE RESULTS FROM A BLOOD TEST MAY COME BACK POSITIVE BC ITS IN HER BLOOD FROM THE NIGHT BEFORE NOT MEANING THAT SHE WAS INTOXICATED THOUGH. BUT AS LITTLE AS I KNOW SHE DRANK THE PREVIOUS THERE IS AN EVEN GREATER CHANCE IT WILL PULL NEGATIVE TO THE ALOCOHOL CONTENT AND IF SO THEN I BELIEVE EVERYONE ON HERE OWES HER A HUGE APOLIGY...AND ANOTHER THING..THE PAPER HAS NO RIGHT TO MENTION ANYTHING ABOUT HER HOME LIFE BC THAT IS HER BUSINESS AND NO ONE ELSES THAT SHOULD HAVE NEVER COME UP AND I BELIEVE THAT TO WHOMEVER MENTIONED IT WAS NOT BEING VERY PROFESSIONAL. BUT BEFORE EVERYONE GOES SAYING THIS AND THAT THEY NEED TO KNOW THE COMPLETE STORY INSTEAD OF JUST JUMPING TO THE CONCLUSIONS LIKE THE WRITER OF THIS STORY DID. THINK ABOUT IT...YOU REALLY DON'T KNOW BC YOU WEREN'T THERE. AND THE MAN WAS A SOMOLION WHO I'M SURE COULD NOT VERY WELL DRIVE...MANY PULL OUT INFRONT OF PEOPLE FOR INSURNENCE CLAIMS AND FROM SEEING PREVIOUS WRECKS OF THEM SWITCHING DRIVER SEATS BEFRE THE POLICE ARRIVED(WHICH I HAVE PERSONLY WITNESSED ON MY BEHALF) AND MAYBE NOW THIS WILL TEACH THEM SOMETHING AND IF THEY WANT TO LIVE AND DRIVE IN THIS COUNTRY THEN THEY SHOULD RESPECT THE RULES AND LAWS OF THE ROAD JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE...AND NO I AM NOT RACIST. THANK YOU

-- Posted by countrygirl09 on Mon, Dec 15, 2008, at 8:51 PM

__________________________________________

You are an absolute idiot!!! Do me and anyone else who may get into trouble or have an accident in the future and DON'T come to my/their defense! At least wait until an IQ test can prove you to be above the primate level before you speak in public again. Doubt that will ever happen!

Countrygirl, It does not matter what nationality this man was. I can understand you want to take up for your friend, but a true friend does not condone or make excuses for something done wrong by a friend. Maybe as you mature you will learn that. I do pray this girl heals, but she still has to answer for her poor choices. I know teens think they are invincible, but the fact is drinking and driving kills. I also think the police need to investigate how she got the alchohol. They should be held responsible also.

Oh come on countrygirl09........where does the Times-Gazette say anything about the girl's home life? That came from a poster (momoftwo19) so don't throw the newspaper or it's writers under the bus. Go back and read the article again. It was well written and nothing

If she had been out drinking the night before and her BAC is still at a certain level, then she's still considered DUI. Maybe her blood test will come back and show she was sober at the time, but that still doesn't excuse the fact that a man died in this accident and it doesn't matter what his nationality was. He died a senseless death as a result of a tragic accident.

Okay folks.........first I want to say that our local law enforcement (city, county and state) do an excellent job with the resources they have available and with the small number of officers that they each have on shift at one time. I know they respond to each call they receive and act accordingly with the information they are given. They put their lives on the line each and every time they report to work and for that, we should all be grateful that they are willing to do it. For those of you who want to throw stones, why don't you apply for a job with the emergency agencies and see if you can deal with it? It's no bed of roses for them OR their families.

Second, as far as the 17 year old in the accident here, I have to agree with some of the previous posts on a couple of comments. If the girl admitted to drinking and driving, why did someone say she had just finished a double shift? I don't know if that person was being sarcastic or not, but if so, it was a totally uncalled for remark. The picture of the car that she hit is pretty indicative that she got out of her lane of traffic and caused the accident. As far as the poster who said that if she can get her life together and that the victim's life being lost is "a good cause" is nothing but an excuse as well as the presumption that she didn't have a "sturdy home life" attributed to the choice that she made to get behind the wheel of a vehicle while drunk.

To the poster who said that he/she waited 27 minutes from the time a call was placed to the time he/she left a local convenience store, I know that the Shelbyville Police Department does schedule "ride-alongs" with their officers, so why don't you check into that, ride along with a patrol officer and see exactly what they do during a twelve hour shift? Did you ever stop to think that the cars you saw parked behind the SPD might have been there as a result of the officers assigned to them not being on shift at that particular time? Just because there may be cars parked at any given time certainly does not mean that the SPD are inside doing nothing.

Furthermore, rather than writing negative things about them on here, we, as a community, need to be more supportive of each and every one of those who protect and serve us on a daily basis.

I agree, we do NOT have all of the facts. So to start convicting this CHILD beforehand is just not right. With that said, if it IS proven that she was intoxicated, she SHOULD be punished accordingly...regardless of her homelife. Up-bringing is almost NEVER an excuse for committing a crime, much less one as wreckless as drunk driving. If some many people were aware of her problems, why didn't anyone attempt to help her. An earlier post mentioned how people get a slap on the wrist for drunk driving...Did you know that you have to get FOUR DUI's before it is even a felony in TN??? Also, if you go more than 10 years between DUI's, the earlier ones don't count (at least that's how I understand it). TN seriously needs to revamp the DUI laws. Too many people get to deal with their cases in General Sessions and get a slap on the wrist. (Not because the judge won't hand out the punishment, but there is only so much punishment you can dish out on a misdemeanor!)

I have a comment in response to this post:

"I really don't know how to respond to this story, because, the police department has not concluded thier investigation, or so it seems. We do not know who was at fault or the circumstances involved in this accident. I don't know that the girl was intoxicated, exhausted, or careless. I also am not sure she was at fault totally. Was he also drinking? I say let the police do what they got to do and then proper action will be forth coming. Judging without all the facts are damaging to both parties. The girl is still in the hospital recovering from surgery and a family somewhere is in pain. Let us be responsible and let the facts surface before we judge or react."

-- Posted by dipperdan on Sun, Dec 14, 2008, at 6:21 PM

I agree with you, dipperdan. It is sad how many people commenting on this story are doing so without having all the facts. One of my family members was killed in an auto accident several years ago. He had been drinking himself, and the driver of the other vehicle involved in that wreck was speeding. The other driver was not killed, but injured. It is very hard for the families involved in situations like these. In my opinion, in the wreck that involved my family member, both drivers were at fault. It is indeed wrong to drink and drive, but it is equally wrong to violate any traffic law or behave carelessly behind the wheel (such as speeding, texting while driving, etc.). Any careless act behind the wheel of a vehicle could result in someone losing his/her life or being seriously injured. Before any of us start making such harsh comments about the parties involved in this terrible accident, we need to understand that the investigation is still ongoing, and all the facts have not been made known to us.

Ok well shelby is my cousin..first of all my heart goes out to this mans family..shelby has been through a lot her whole life..for the ones who say where are her parents well did you ever stop and think that maybe she does not have a steady home life..what happened was wrong and this man or anyones life should not of been takin..but the fact of the matter is. She is a young girl who is troubled and will have to live with she killed a man.. You all pstin comments about how shameful she is. You should be praying for her also.she has injuries that she will live with and that's not includin copeing with killing a man..my prayers go out to this family.and I ask for you all to pray for her also..a concerned cousin.

-- Posted by momoftwo19 on Sun, Dec 14, 2008, at 11:38 AM

The fact that this girl did not have an ideal background is irrelevant. She made a poor choice, if indeed she was drinking & driving, so she needs to own that poor choice. Someone's past is not an an excuse for questionable behavior & poor judgments. I'm not trying to be harsh, but that's just the way I see it.

You know she was not plastered she just got done pulling a double shift..

-- Posted by momoftwo19 on Sun, Dec 14,

What kind of parents let their child work a double shift at 17yrs old?

heavens8,

My first cousins were the ones involved in the accident on Frank Martin road. I have not heard the full story yet as both of them are still at Vandy. I do not doubt that speed was involved, because my cousin never saw the vehicle that hit him until it hit his truck.

I passed by the wreck involved in this story and the driver that was killed never had a chance.

I really don't know how to respond to this story, because, the police department has not concluded thier investigation, or so it seems. We do not know who was at fault or the circumstances involved in this accident. I don't know that the girl was intoxicated, exhausted, or careless. I also am not sure she was at fault totally. Was he also drinking? I say let the police do what they got to do and then proper action will be forth coming. Judging without all the facts are damaging to both parties. The girl is still in the hospital recovering from surgery and a family somewhere is in pain. Let us be responsible and let the facts surface before we judge or react.

as an 18 year old girl im torn between being upset over this senseless act and angry that this happened! do you realize just how many alcholic accidents take lives or destroy them in shelbyville?! the cops really need to start doing there job! and as bad as i feel for what this girl is going to have to live with, her upbringing or bad life is no execse to drink drive and kill someone! my life was certainly not simple but i didnt drink my head off and get out and kill someone and as for her parents why on earth werent they calling the law long long before six am what could she have been doing out that late? and i hope the person who gave her the alchol feels so guilty because as mad as we all are at whoever, it was the provider of the beer who wrecked and took lifes! this was a senseless act!

i have been a friend of shelby's for a few years. we have recently drifted apart but i will still be here for her. teenagers make mistakes, and so do adults.but what is important is that we learn from these mistakes. a man's life was lost, but if she can straighten her life out then this man's life was lost for a good cause, for straighening out a young girls life. my thoughts and prayers go out to the man's family and i hope everything works out soon.

I am shelby tyosns cousin..my heart goes ut to the family of this man.. All of you that stick your nose up and say where is her parents do you not stop and think maybe she never had a sturdy home life.. Because that is the problem..she is a sweet young girl. She has had a hard time copeing with her life. I do pray for this mans family but shelby has some bad injuries. That will not bring back this mans life but I hope and pray that you all will also pray for her..she is a human being with family by her side everyone makes mistakes this unfornitualy lead to another life taken for all the wrong reasons..we are very sorry for this mans family. I just pray that shelby will get better and that she will see what this has done.please pray for her and this mans family....

I smell some vehicular homicide or manslaughter charges. It is cases such as this one that are the reason those laws are in place. I agree, did her parents not know where she was and what she was doing? Who lets their 17 year old stay out until 6 am? I had a curfew until I turned 18...that way if I did something stupid, I paid for it, not my parents. Sounds like this girl got the reality check she needed...unfortunately someone had to die for it.

What was a 17 year old girl doing out at 6am drunk!!!!!! This is terrible....she was under age and they need to look into who gave this girl beer or what ever she had been drinking.If they let this go then she will be out drinking again before she turns 18 years old. They also had a bad reck on my road yesterday Midland Road and Frank Martin Road. I am sure that was speed. I have called and called them and told them they need to do something about the speeders on Midland Road. It is 45 and they drive it like it is hwy 231. Maybe now they will watch the speeders on this road. I called them again yesterday.My prayers go out to this man's family that lost his life from a drunk driver.

i can bleave some one got killed by drunk driver, which she admitted and oficcer said that he is unsure that charges would be filed, for pending further investigation. does he need more then killers admittion or otherwise?

This is awful. My thoughts and prayers for this man's family.

With the cities growth movong northward, I fear similiar accidents may occur at this intersection and the others along the way.