Traffic Unit officers are swearing out a vehicular homicide warrant against 22-year-old Rebecca Benson in connection with this morning’s fatal crash on I-65 near the Wedgewood Avenue exit.

The investigation shows that Benson, driving a 2006 Lexus RX 330, was traveling south in the northbound lanes of I-65 at 4 a.m. when she crashed head-on into a northbound 2000 Chevrolet Ventura van. The driver of the van, Stephanie Leonard, 29, of Perkins Drive in Franklin, died at the scene. Benson, of Hickory Club Drive in Antioch, was critically injured. She is being treated at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Benson got onto the interstate at Broadway before crashing a very short time later. First responding officers found that Benson smelled of alcohol. She acknowledged drinking prior to the collision.

Benson will be arrested upon her discharge from Vanderbilt.

A 23-year-old man struck by a Toyota Scion as he crossed Demonbreun Street in the early morning hours of December 10th died today from complications of his injuries.

Glenn T. Allen, Jr., of Cross Plains, was a patient at Bordeaux Long-Term Care Facility at the time of his death. A second victim struck at the same time as Allen, Jeffrey Brooksher, 22, of Greenbrier, died from his injuries on December 12th at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Trevor Bradshaw, 23, of Nashville, who is alleged to have been driving the Scion drunk, and his girlfriend, Erin Brown, 21, of Hermitage, who is alleged to have allowed Bradshaw to drive her vehicle while intoxicated, are presently charged with one count of vehicular homicide (for Brooksher’s death) and one count of vehicular assault (for Allen’s injuries). Bradshaw and Brown are free on bond pending their preliminary hearing on February 23rd. A second vehicular homicide charge is expected to be placed against them as the criminal matter advances.

The driver accused of running over three teenage pedestrians Saturday morning, killing one of them, is in jail following his release Sunday from Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Alexis Lopez-Rodriguez, 20, of 179 Tusculum Road, is charged with vehicular homicide by intoxication, two counts of vehicular assault, and one count of leaving the scene of a fatal crash.  His bond is set at $225,000.  A federal immigration hold has also been placed against him.

Lopez-Rodriguez was driving a 2003 Honda Accord east on Tusculum Road just after midnight when the car left the roadway and struck the teens, who were on the sidewalk in front of Lopez-Rodriguez’s home.  Killed was Kevin Bautista, 15, of Amelia Drive.  His brother, Jhonathan Bautista, 14, was treated at Vanderbilt and has been released.  Rene Mendez, Jr., 16, of Coleridge Court, is in stable condition at Vanderbilt.

Traffic Unit officers and South Precinct detectives are continuing in their efforts to determine whether Lopez-Rodriguez intentionally drove onto the sidewalk.

New arrest warrants charging vehicular homicide by intoxication were issued this morning against the two persons accused of being responsible for Saturday morning’s crash on Demonbreun Street that critically injured two pedestrians. One of the victims, Jeffrey Brooksher, 22, of Greenbrier, died Monday at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. The second victim, Glenn Allen, Jr., 23, of Cross Plains, remains in critical condition.

Trevor Bradshaw, 23, of Nashville, who is alleged to have been drunk and behind the wheel of the Toyota Scion that struck Brooksher and Allen, ran from the scene after the 2:25 a.m. collision. He surrendered at police headquarters Saturday evening and was booked on two counts of felony vehicular assault and one count of leaving the scene of an injury crash. Bradshaw was released on $7,500 bond. Officers are now working to arrest him on the vehicular homicide charge.

Bradshaw’s girlfriend, Erin C. Brown, 21, of Hermitage, was the front seat passenger in the vehicle and received minor injuries. She was arrested Saturday night on two counts of vehicular assault for permitting Bradshaw to drive her Scion while allegedly intoxicated. Brown posted a $3,000 bond. Officers are also working to arrest her on the vehicular homicide count.

Erin C. Brown

Arrest warrants charging vehicular homicide and vehicular assault have been issued against Steven Phillips in connection with Sunday morning’s two-vehicle collision on Myatt Drive that claimed the life of a 59-year-old Nashville man.

Phillips, 40, of Bonnaoaks Drive in Hermitage, was driving his 2004 Honda Accord west on Myatt Drive when he failed to negotiate a curve and collided head-on with an eastbound 2002 Ford Ranger pickup truck driven by Paul Thompson of Apple Valley Circle. Thompson died at the scene. His passenger and friend, Nedra Knox, 36, of Nashville, was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries.

Phillips smelled strongly of alcohol and admitted to drinking vodka prior to the collision. Phillips is presently hospitalized at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He will be taken into custody upon his discharge from the hospital.