The woman killed early Saturday after her car was struck by an alleged drunk driver in South Nashville is identified as Joycelyn R. Gardiner, 22, a member of Tennessee State University’s Tigerbelle track team who was to have received her criminal justice degree in August, and had aspirations of attending law school.
The driver who struck Gardiner, Victor Javier Benitez, 24, a native of Mexico, is in the Metro Jail on a charge of vehicular homicide. He is being held without bond after being identified as a suspected illegal immigrant.
Gardiner was traveling west on Old Hickory Boulevard in a 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix at 2:45 a.m. and entered the intersection of Nolensville Pike with a green traffic signal. Benitez, who was driving a 1998 Ford Expedition, was traveling south on Nolensville Pike, ran the red light, and collided with Gardiner’s car. The Expedition left no pre-crash skid marks, indicating that Benitez did not try to brake prior to impact.
Witnesses to the crash, who attempted to render aid to the drivers, described an extreme order of alcohol about Benitez and said that he was very combative. Gardiner and Benitez were both rushed to Vanderbilt. She was pronounced dead at 4 a.m. Benitez was treated for a head laceration and a broken rib. He was released from the hospital and jailed Saturday afternoon.
Benitez, who carried an identification card listing a Houston, Texas address, was arrested in Nashville on February 15, 2006, on three counts of car burglary and two counts of attempted theft. He was convicted on the car burglary charges in Criminal Court on April 11, 2006, and was sentenced to one year of supervised probation.
Benitez was arrested on November 5, 2006, on charges of public intoxication, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. He was convicted of all three charges the following day and received a total sentence of seven days.
Saturday, Benitez claimed an address of 365 Paragon Mills Road, apartment A-5.
His preliminary hearing on the vehicular homicide charge is set for Thursday at 9 a.m.
Joycelyn R. Gardiner
Victor Javier Benitez
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