Walter D. Humphrey dies in fatal Knoxville car crash

Walter D. Humphrey dies in fatal Knoxville car crash

Fatal Knoxville car crash death of Walter D. Humphrey

Walter D. Humphrey, a 96-year-old resident at an assisted living facility in Knoxville, Tennessee, was killed early Saturday morning when a vehicle slammed into the building, according to Knoxville police.

Authorities said the crash happened around 5:15 a.m. at Shannondale of Knoxville. When officers arrived, they found Humphrey had been struck by a minivan that came through the facility’s wall. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver, 24-year-old Eleasah Williams, was taken into custody and charged with vehicular homicide due to reckless behavior. According to court documents, Williams was in a distressed mental state and reportedly told authorities she had been both suicidal and homicidal before the crash.

Williams is accused of speeding away from an apartment complex around 5:04 a.m., driving erratically before veering across all lanes of Middlebrook Pike, jumping a curb, and crashing into the assisted living home.

Investigators say she admitted to intentionally driving at high speed in a suicide attempt. Williams also acknowledged using prescription drugs and vaping THC prior to the collision. She sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to a hospital for treatment.

The building sustained damages estimated at more than $1,000. The investigation remains ongoing.