Nashville, TENNESSEE – According to the police officials, the 18-year-old suspect, later identified as Manuel Rayo-Navarro, is now charged with vehicular assault and reckless endangerment after Monday’s 8:30 p.m. two-vehicle crash that seriously injured his passenger, Gabriel Rayo-Brown, 21.
The preliminary investigation shows that Rayo-Navarro was driving a Ford F-150 pickup truck west on Binkley Drive at a high rate of speed when he ran a stop sign at the intersection of Binkley Drive and Danby Drive where he collided with the driver of a Honda CRV.
Rayo-Brown, who was riding in the bed of the pickup, was thrown from the truck on impact. He remains hospitalized. The driver of the Honda was wearing his seatbelt and refused medical attention.
There was evidence of drug use in the Ford pickup truck. A blood sample was drawn from Rayo-Navarro for alcohol/drug analysis.