WSMV

Driver charged after car hits 3 teen pedestrians; 1 killed

Police say a man has been charged after his vehicle hit three teenage pedestrians, killing one of them, on a sidewalk on Tusculum Road early Saturday morning.

Alexis Lopez-Rodriguez, 20, is charged with vehicular homicide by intoxication, two counts of vehicular assault, and one count of leaving the scene of a fatal crash.

According to Metro police, a Honda Accord driven by Lopez-Rodriguez left the roadway and struck the teens, who were on the sidewalk in front of Lopez-Rodriguez's home just after midnight on Saturday. The car then traveled through a fence and slammed into a tree, police said.

Police identified the deceased victim as Kevin Bautista, 15, of Amelia Drive. Police said Bautista's brother, Jhonathan Bautista, 14, and Rene Mendez, Jr., 16, of Coleridge Court, were injured and transported to Vanderbilt Medical Center for treatment.

According to officers, Lopez-Rodriguez got out of the crashed vehicle, went home and had his father drive him to Southern Hills Medical Center. Officers said Lopez-Rodriguez did not stop to help the teens and did not call 911. Instead, a neighbor contacted authorities.

Detectives say they are working to determine if Lopez-Rodriguez intentionally drove onto the sidewalk where the teens were walking.

On Sunday night, friends of Kevin Bautista collected more than a $1,000 at the Our Lady of Guadalupe church for the victim's family. A car wash is scheduled next Saturday at the Nolensville Kmart to raise more donations.

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