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A driver has been arrested in the United States following a tragic hit-and-run incident that claimed the life of a Nigerian graduate, Oluwalayomi Fadero.
The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department said the suspect, Ray Eugene Padgett, was taken into custody after a series of events that began with the alleged theft of a vehicle and ended in a fatal crash.
According to authorities, the situation escalated when the owner of the stolen truck tracked its location. Realising he was being followed, the suspect reportedly drove recklessly, hitting another vehicle and later colliding with an unmarked police car, which prompted a high-speed chase.
Police spokesman Don Aaron explained that officers initially monitored the vehicle from the air, intending to make a safe arrest once it stopped. However, events quickly spiralled out of control.
The pursuit, which lasted only a few minutes but reached speeds of up to 80 miles per hour, ended in tragedy when the suspect veered into oncoming traffic and slammed into Fadero’s car. The impact forced her vehicle off the road and into a ditch, where she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators said the suspect was on parole at the time of the incident and has now been charged with criminal homicide. Authorities believe his actions directly triggered the chain of events that led to the young woman’s death.
In the aftermath, tributes have poured in from the Fisk University community, where Fadero studied. Those who knew her have spoken of her kindness and quiet strength, while efforts continue to support her family as they come to terms with the loss.
