2 pedestrians dead after separate crashes in Midtown

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - Memphis police are investigating two pedestrian deaths that happened overnight.

The first pedestrian fatality happened at Union and Kimbrough Tuesday night. A second person died hours later crossing at East Parkway and Sam Cooper early Wednesday.

No matter the time of day, Evergreen District community leader Bram Bors-Koefored says the four-way intersection on East Parkway and Sam Cooper remains busy.

“This intersection has been in this neighborhood an issue for quite some time,” Bors-Koefored said.

“It’s loud, it’s dangerous, there’s no lighting. The signage is not very good,” he continued.

Within the past year, there have been at least three pedestrian fatalities here.

“In August, my son’s friend was killed at the intersection section right over here at East Parkway and Sam Cooper,” said Bors-Koefored, referring to 14-year-old William McConnell, who died after being struck by a car at the same intersection in July 2022.

Most recently, a woman lost her life Wednesday morning. Memphis police officials say a black Infiniti Q50 hit the woman at the intersection around midnight.

Just hours earlier, officers had to shut down Union Avenue at Kimbrough where another pedestrian was hit and killed. Police say that driver took off before investigators arrived.

MPD Colonel Marcus Worthy, commander of the Traffic Unit Division, said this year’s pedestrian fatality toll stands at 14.

“The biggest thing to all these fatality accidents and critical’s are vehicles and individuals are people going too fast,” said Colonel Worthy.

Colonel Worthy said MPD’s new specialized traffic enforcement unit is trying to crack down on that.

“We’re trying to beef up the traffic division so that will have more officers out here in the traffic enforcement to slow individuals down,” said Worthy.

In the meantime, Evergreen District residents said they’ve formed a group to explore ways to make their streets safer.

“Next weekend, we’re gonna walk with people in our neighborhood and try to come up with ideas,” said Bors-Koefored.

MPD has not released the identities of the victims, and there’s no word on what type of vehicle was involved in the Union and Kimbrough crash.

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