Former NFL coach Rex Ryan faces six misdemeanor charges after police say his pickup ran over two pedestrians’ feet in downtown Nashville and he drove off after arguing with them.
Story Snapshot
- Police say the crash happened shortly before midnight on Thursday, November 5, at 4th Avenue and Broadway, while the two pedestrians had the walk signal.
- Ryan, 63, turned himself in on Wednesday, November 11, and was arrested on six outstanding misdemeanor warrants.
- He is charged with two counts each of leaving the scene of an accident, failing to give information or render aid, and failing to obey a traffic signal.
- His attorney says Ryan is cooperating with the investigation. Bond was set at $6,000.
What Police Say Happened On Broadway
According to arrest reports, two pedestrians were crossing Broadway from 4th Avenue North with a walk signal when Ryan turned right in his pickup truck. Police say the truck ran over both people’s feet and struck one person’s leg. Both pedestrians suffered minor injuries. Ryan, an ESPN analyst who coached the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills, is accused, not convicted, and the charges are misdemeanors, the less serious class of crimes.
The pedestrians told police the truck kept going to the red light at Broadway and Rep. John Lewis Way, where they flagged it down. They said the driver got out, argued with them, then got back in and drove away. They photographed the license plate, which is registered to Ryan, and one of them looked up a photo of the driver on a phone and identified him. Officers said Ryan’s driver’s license photo matched, and they obtained camera footage of the incident.
The Charges And His Response
Police obtained six misdemeanor warrants. Ryan went to the police station on Wednesday, November 11, and was booked on two counts of leaving the scene of an accident, two counts of failure to give information or render aid, and two counts of failure to obey a traffic control signal. A judicial commissioner, a court officer who handles bail, set bond at $6,000, and Ryan was released.
Ryan’s attorney said they are reviewing the case and the facts and that Ryan is cooperating with the investigation. Ryan has not made a public statement of his own. ESPN, where he appears on “Sunday NFL Countdown,” said: “We are aware and are in touch with Rex.” No court date has been reported.
What Tennessee Law Requires After A Crash
Tennessee law says a driver in a crash that injures someone must stop and give his name, address and vehicle registration. The driver must also offer reasonable help, including arranging a ride to medical care when it is needed. That is the duty behind the “failure to give information or render aid” charges. The traffic signal charges stem from police saying the pedestrians had the walk sign when the truck turned.
Each charge is counted twice because there were two pedestrians. A court will decide whether Ryan is responsible, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Who Rex Ryan Is
Ryan coached the Jets for six seasons, from 2009 to 2014, and reached back-to-back AFC Championship Games. He then coached the Bills for two seasons. Before that, he spent ten years on the Baltimore Ravens staff, the last four as defensive coordinator. He joined ESPN as an NFL analyst in 2017. His father, the late Buddy Ryan, ran the famed 1985 Chicago Bears defense.
The crash happened on Broadway, a popular nightlife area in downtown Nashville. City safety data show that most crashes that kill or badly hurt pedestrians in Nashville happen after dark.
Sources:
newschannel5.com, espn.com, tennessean.com, abcnews.com, chicagotribune.com, law.justia.com, nashville.gov
