NASHVILLE, TENN. — Fatal crash officers are teaming with Central Precinct detectives as they work to determine the origin of a large chunk of concrete that went through the windshield of a Nissan GT-R sports car on I-24 near downtown this morning killing the driver, Joe C. Shelton Jr., 54, of Pleasant View, Tennessee.
At this point in the investigation, it appears likely that the chunk of concrete was thrown from the Shelby Avenue Bridge. TDOT bridge inspectors determined that the concrete was not a part of the bridge structure, but more closely resembled a roadway curb.
Metro Nashville police are investigating today’s death of Joe C. Shelton Jr., 54, on I-24 near downtown after this chunk of concrete, likely thrown from a bridge, went through his windshield. No arrests have been made. pic.twitter.com/I5LgZdiSpg
— Breaking911 (@breaking9111) November 20, 2018
The concrete chunk traveled through Shelton’s windshield and hit him in the face at approximately 4:54 a.m. as he was driving to work at the Nissan plant in Smyrna. The Nissan then sideswiped a Toyota pickup truck and a guardrail before coming to final rest on I-24’s Silliman Evans Bridge.
Investigators are reviewing available surveillance cameras in the area of the I-24/Shelby Avenue interchange, but do not yet have any description of a person(s) who may have thrown the concrete chunk from the bridge.
Photos of the concrete chunk and the damaged Nissan accompany this media release. Anyone with information about this case, including seeing a person(s) standing on the Shelby Avenue Bridge in the 4:50 a.m.-4:55 a.m. time frame this morning, is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463. Callers to Crime Stoppers can remain anonymous and qualify for a cash reward.
