NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A 23-year-old has been taken into custody in connection with the death of a Mt. Juliet man who died after he was hit by multiple vehicles on Interstate 40 earlier this month.
On Tuesday, Dec. 3, 22-year-old Austin David was found dead along 11:15 a.m. on the right shoulder at mile marker 218.
Investigators initially believed David was walking along the right side of I-40 East, near the fourth lane, when he was first hit before being run over by other vehicles in the third lane, according to a press release. Investigators were working to determine exactly what time David was hit.
According to an arrest warrant, investigators determined David was riding as a passenger in a vehicle driven by 23-year-old Logan Garver. He reportedly told officers he and David got into an argument before he got out of the vehicle on the side of the roadway.
On Wednesday, Dec. 4, Metro police received a tip that the vehicle involved in the crash was located at an apartment complex off Dodson Chapel Road and covered with a tarp.
Metro police reported heavy damage to the vehicle's passenger side and determined David was thrown from Garver's truck before he was hit by multiple vehicles. Garver is alleged to have hit a guardrail in his GMC Sierra, which ejected David from the passenger seat.
According to court documents, Garver made multiple statements to several people after the crash indicating he was intoxicated, fell asleep while driving, had no memory of the crash and did not notice David was not in the vehicle until he realized he had a flat tire.
Investigators located surveillance video of Garver and David at a club in Midtown Nashville. The video shows Garver stumbling out of the business before getting into his truck, according to a release.
Garver was booked into the Metro jail on Thursday, Dec. 12 and charged with vehicular homicide by intoxication, tampering with evidence and leaving the scene of a crash involving death. His bond was set at $103,000.
Just days before the crash, Austin and his father, Josh David, celebrated Thanksgiving together. Austin even spent the week next to his brother, who just underwent a kidney transplant, in the hospital. Josh said goodbye on Sunday, Dec. 1, not knowing it would be the last time he’d ever see Austin.
According to Josh, his family heard from Austin’s friend who was in the car with him before he started walking on the interstate: “He told my son’s mom that him and Austin got into an argument and Austin got out of the car.”
Josh told News 2 he’s holding onto the memory of his son, who was loved by many.
“He was just the funniest, loving, caring, would give the shirt off his back to anybody. He was just a great kid,” said Josh.