Ironic that he ran over their feet…
Former NFL coach Rex Ryan turned himself in to the Metro Nashville Police today after being charged with striking two pedestrians with his truck on Broadway last week.
According to police reports, Ryan (who, for the record, I’m not related to) struck the pedestrians just before midnight last Thursday as they were crossing Broadway at 4th Avenue. The pedestrians reportedly had a walk signal, while Ryan was turning right from 4th Avenue. His truck allegedly ran over both of their feet, while also striking one of their legs.
The alleged victims reported that Ryan continued after running over their feet, but stopped at the next block for a red light as the pedestrians tried to flag him down. The former NFL coach then got out of his truck and began arguing with the pedestrians before getting back in and driving away.
The pedestrians were able to get photos of both Ryan and his truck’s license plate, and police confirmed that the vehicle is registered to the coach.
Ryan is charged with two counts of leaving the scene of an accident, two counts of failure to give information/render aid, and two counts of failure to obey a traffic control signal. He was released on a $6,000 bond, and is set to appear in court on December 18.
The intersection where the incident occurred is the same one where an accident claimed the life of one victim earlier this year and left multiple others hospitalized after an 87-year-old driver ran a red light and struck several pedestrians crossing the street. The driver in that case, Thomas Cahill of Kentucky, has been charged with four misdemeanors including failure to yield causing death and three counts of failure to yield resulting in serious injury.
Since the tragic incident occurred, there’s been plenty of conversation about making Broadway a pedestrian-only entertainment district. If you’ve tried to drive on Broadway, you know what a nightmare it is with all of the pedestrians, and though it sounds like everybody who’s been involved in the recent incidents were obeying the crosswalks, unfortunately there are many who don’t.
Because Broadway is technically a roadway that is owned by the state, Metro Nashville and the Tennessee Department of Transportation would have to work in tandem to close the area off to traffic, something TDOT has announced they have already begun to consider:
“The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) has been in active discussions with Metro Nashville and the Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security (TDOSHS) to evaluate the potential installation of bollards on Broadway in downtown Nashville, also known as State Route 1.
TDOT recognizes the critical importance of creating a safe and efficient environment for pedestrians, motorists, and businesses in downtown Nashville. TDOT is committed to advancing a collaborative process that supports the safest and most effective operations on this vital corridor.”
Rex Ryan is the former head coach of the New York Jets and the Buffalo Bills, and has served as an ESPN analyst since being fired by the Bills since 2017. He has lived in Nashville since around 2014.
