A 23-year-old Nigerian graduate living in the United States, Oluwalayomi “Layo” Fadero, has lost her life after a driver fleeing from police collided with her vehicle in Nashville, Tennessee.
Local media reports indicated that the tragic incident occurred last Friday when the suspect, identified as Ray Eugene Padgett, allegedly drove against traffic while attempting to escape arrest.
Fadero, who recently graduated from Fisk University, was said to be heading towards her residence along Murfreesboro Pike when the suspect’s vehicle rammed into the driver’s side of her car.
She was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Metro Nashville Police Department disclosed that the crash followed a sequence of earlier events, including the theft of a Ford F-250 truck from a dealership in North Nashville.
Authorities said the suspect, while attempting to flee, first crashed into the vehicle owner’s car and later struck an unmarked police SUV, prompting a pursuit that reportedly lasted about five minutes, with speeds reaching nearly 80 miles per hour.
Police were quoted as saying that at about 2:30 p.m., the fleeing driver veered into oncoming traffic, leading to the fatal collision.
The force of the impact pushed Fadero’s vehicle roughly 100 yards off the road into a ditch.
Officials described the deceased as an innocent motorist with no link to the chase.
Padgett, 52, was subsequently apprehended and taken to hospital for treatment of minor injuries before being taken into custody.
He is expected to face several felony charges, including criminally negligent homicide, vehicular homicide by recklessness, attempted criminal homicide, and reckless endangerment.
Police further revealed that the suspect was on parole at the time of the incident and had a criminal history spanning more than 20 convictions across five counties in Tennessee.
Fadero was said to have recently earned her degree and had begun an accelerated nursing programme at another institution before her untimely death.
Reacting to the development, her former lecturer, Janet Walsh, described her as “one of the most compassionate and kindest” individuals.
Another alumna, Jessica Williams, said her death was devastating, noting that the incident occurred close to her home.
A temporary memorial has been set up at the crash site, while counselling services have been provided for students and members of the university community.
In the meantime, a fundraising effort launched in her honour has generated over $13,000 to support funeral arrangements, as relatives and friends continue to grieve.
Police authorities stated that investigations into the incident are ongoing