Nigerian Graduate Killed in U.S. Wrong-Way Crash, Suspect Charged With Homicide

A 23-year-old Nigerian woman, Oluwalayomi Fadero, has died following a wrong-way crash in Nashville, United States, involving a driver now facing multiple homicide-related charges.

Fadero, a recent graduate of Fisk University, had begun an accelerated nursing programme at another institution before her death. University officials described her as a promising alumna whose loss has deeply affected the campus community.

According to the Metro Nashville Police Department, the incident unfolded on Friday, March 20, 2026, following a sequence of events that began with the theft of a Ford truck from an auto lot in North Nashville around 9:30 a.m. Investigators identified the suspect as 52-year-old Ray Eugene Padgett.

Police said the stolen vehicle was equipped with a tracking device, allowing the owner to locate it later in an alley off St. Louis Street. There, Padgett allegedly reversed the truck and rammed the owner’s vehicle before fleeing the scene.

Law enforcement units monitoring the situation later attempted to track him in Madison using undercover vehicles. The situation escalated when Padgett allegedly struck an unmarked police SUV carrying a plainclothes detective near a connector road close to Nashville International Airport. The officer exited the vehicle and ran to safety, prompting a pursuit.

Minutes later, investigators said Padgett drove the wrong way along Murfreesboro Pike at high speed, estimated at nearly 80 mph, heading toward La Vergne. During the wrong-way movement, his vehicle collided with a Hyundai Elantra as Fadero was turning onto Hickory Woods Drive while returning home from work. She died at the scene.

Authorities confirmed that Padgett has an extensive criminal history, with at least 20 prior convictions across multiple counties in Tennessee, including offenses related to burglary, theft, and vehicle-related crimes. Officials also noted that he had previously been arrested for a parole violation in 2023 and was later released.

Following the crash, Padgett was hospitalized with minor injuries and later taken into custody upon discharge. He is currently being held at the Downtown Detention Center on an $805,000 bond. Charges against him include criminally negligent homicide, vehicular homicide by recklessness, felony reckless endangerment, attempted criminal homicide, and driving on a revoked license. Additional charges connected to the vehicle theft are expected.

Fisk University, in a statement, expressed condolences to Fadero’s family, describing her as a recent graduate and offering counseling support to members of its community. A memorial has since been set up at the crash site, while supporters have also raised funds to assist with funeral expenses as family and friends mourn her passing.