A 23-year-old Nigerian graduate based in the United States, Oluwalayomi “Layo” Fadero, has died after a motorist fleeing from police drove into her car in Nashville, Tennessee.
The fatal incident occurred last Friday and was reported by WSMV Nashville on Tuesday. The suspect, identified as Ray Eugene Padgett, allegedly entered the wrong lane while attempting to evade arrest, leading to the crash.
Fadero, a graduate of Fisk University, was said to be driving towards her residence along Murfreesboro Pike when the suspect’s vehicle struck hers on the driver’s side.
The force of the collision reportedly killed her instantly, with her car thrown off the roadway into a nearby ditch.
Police investigations revealed that the suspect’s actions followed an earlier theft of a Ford F-250 truck from a car dealership in North Nashville.
Authorities said the suspect, in the course of escaping, rammed into the vehicle owner’s car and later collided with an unmarked police SUV, triggering a chase that lasted about five minutes.
The pursuit reportedly reached speeds of nearly 80 miles per hour before the suspect veered into oncoming traffic and crashed into Fadero’s vehicle at about 2:30 p.m.
Emergency officials confirmed that Fadero died at the scene, noting that she had no involvement in the police pursuit.
Padgett, aged 52, was later apprehended and taken to a hospital with injuries said to be non-life-threatening before being transferred into police custody.
According to law enforcement authorities, he is facing multiple felony charges, including criminally negligent homicide, vehicular homicide, attempted criminal homicide, and reckless endangerment.
Officials also disclosed that the suspect was on parole at the time of the incident and had a history of at least 20 previous convictions across five counties in Tennessee.
Fadero was reported to have recently earned her degree and had commenced an accelerated nursing programme before her untimely death.
Her former lecturer, Janet Walsh, described her as “one of the most compassionate and kindest individuals anyone could ever encounter.”
Another alumna, Jessica Williams, expressed sorrow over the incident, describing it as heartbreaking and noting that the crash happened close to the deceased’s home.
A makeshift memorial has been erected at the scene of the crash, while counselling services have been made available to members of the university community.
In the meantime, a fundraising effort set up in her memory has raised over $13,000 to support burial arrangements, as relatives and friends continue to mourn her passing.
Police said investigations into the incident are still ongoing.
