Challenger driver going 88 in a 40 mph zone while plowing into beloved college student walked away like nothing happened

A antheral successful Tennessee accused of sidesplitting a beloved assemblage pupil by driving a stolen car done a reddish airy and T-boning her conveyance has admitted to causing her death.

Julio Hernandez, 21, pleaded blameworthy to respective charges connected Tuesday, including reckless vehicular homicide, leaving the country of an mishap involving a death, and driving without a license, according to tribunal records and the Shelby County District Attorney's Office. The charges stemmed from a summertime 2023 clang successful which 20-year-old Ava Christopher was killed.

On July 25, 2023, conscionable aft midnight, Christopher was driving a achromatic Chevrolet Sonic eastbound connected Central Avenue successful Memphis, an apprehension affidavit reviewed by Law&Crime states. At the aforesaid time, Hernandez was driving a Dodge Challenger southbound connected Cooper Street, and helium "disregarded the reddish light" astatine the intersection.

Video footage obtained by section NBC affiliate WMC shows a achromatic car traveling astatine a comparatively debased complaint of velocity toward a greenish airy erstwhile abruptly a achromatic car flies into the framework and strikes the achromatic vehicle. Both vehicles spin, with the achromatic conveyance coming to a halt erstwhile the beforehand of it collides with a adjacent pole.

Hernandez was driving 88 mph successful a 40 mph portion astatine the clip of the crash, the affidavit states.

Authorities said Hernandez had a rider successful the conveyance with him erstwhile helium crashed into Christopher, and they near the country "immediately" aft the crash. First responders reached Christopher and transported her to an country hospital, but she was pronounced dead.

As loved ones mourned Christopher — who was astir to participate her inferior twelvemonth astatine the University of Memphis, per her obituary — authorities had not yet charged idiosyncratic successful her death. But they continued to investigate.

A witnesser identified Hernandez to constabulary arsenic the antheral seen connected a video walking distant from the crash, according to the affidavit. Investigators had besides learned that the Dodge Challenger progressive successful the clang was reported stolen retired of Southaven, Mississippi, anterior to the collision.

Authorities said that the archetypal rims from the Dodge Challenger were missing from the conveyance astatine the clip of the crash, and connected Nov. 16, 2023, an serviceman spotted Hernandez driving different conveyance with those rims connected it. He was detained and "admitted to driving the stolen Dodge Challenger astatine the clip of the fatal crash," the tribunal papers reads.

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Memphis Police Sergeant Marcus Mosby, who detained Hernandez and was the pb researcher successful the case, testified that Hernandez "gave maine a afloat confession," WMC reported.

"He walked away, helium said helium was acrophobic origin helium thought the witnesser who witnessed the clang had a gun. He said that helium was precise apologetic. He admitted to everything," Mosby said.

Hernandez was released connected enslaved not agelong aft his apprehension successful November 2023, but helium was indicted connected charges, including reckless vehicular homicide, successful February 2025.

The suspect is scheduled to beryllium sentenced connected March 25.

Christopher was further remembered successful her obituary arsenic idiosyncratic who "LOVED BIG" and "adored her friends, family, equine 'Ozzi', calico kitty 'Jazzy' arsenic good arsenic each of our household pets."

"Ava loved everyone from each walks of life," the tribute besides said. "She believed successful acceptance, tolerance and love. She packed much love, humor, knowledge, moxie, and experiences into her abbreviated 20 years than galore of america bash successful a overmuch longer lifetime."