Metro police charge man with criminal homicide after multi-vehicle crash on Bell Road

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - The Metro Nashville Police Department is investigated a fatal shooting that took place after a multi-vehicle crash on Saturday morning and charged a man with criminal homicide.

Officers were called to the 1500 block of Bell Road around 9:30 a.m. in response to the reported shooting.

When officers arrived, they determined a car crash involving three vehicles happened before the shooting.

According to police, 22-year-old Caleb Harney was driving a Nissan Altima toward Hickory Hollow around 9:30 a.m. shortly before the first crash.

Metro Police said a Chevrolet Camaro reportedly cut off the Altima and Harney began to follow the car.

The driver of that car slammed on the brakes and caused Harney to rear-end the Camaro causing the first crash. Afterward, the Camaro sped off and Harney continued to follow it.

Metro Police said the Camaro hit another vehicle near Brookview Estates Drive and went off the road, according to police.

Harney’s Altima also veered off the road.

According to Metro Police, Harney said the victim got out of the Camaro and began yelling and cursing. Harney said when he got out of the Altima, the victim grabbed him around the waist as if he was going to slam him to the ground. Harney told police he then pulled a pistol from his pants and shot the victim, fatally wounding him.

The gun, which Harney hid in a nearby field before police arrived, was recovered by detectives.

Metro Police said no weapons were found on the victim.

Officials believe the victim was a 30-year-old man and are trying to identify the victim through his fingerprints. They added that the victim was a passenger in the Camaro.

Several witnesses spoke with police and provided investigators with information regarding the incident.

One man said he was driving down the road when a car zoomed past him, smashing into other cars and then eventually a pole. Moments after, he heard gunshots.

“What can I do?” said Charles Driver, the witness. “There’s nothing you can do. You feel helpless.”

Driver said one of the cars was going around 90 to 100 miles per hour when he saw the car pass him when he was in the eastbound lane.

“The gentleman that wreck passed me in the turning lane and when he went around me, he lost control and hit two more cars and then an electric pole,” Driver said.

After a few seconds, while he was talking to 911 about the incident he just saw, Driver said he heard gunshots.

“The next thing I knew here comes a man struggling down the sidewalk and he falls over on his face and blood was running out of his head where he had been shot.”

Brent Gibson with the Metro Police confirmed with WSMV4 that an adult man had passed away from gunshot wounds.

Driver said this death shouldn’t have happened.

“This road is too busy, and they don’t patrol it,” Driver said.

Harney, of Murfreesboro, was charged with criminal homicide and was booked on a $100,000 bond.

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