MEMPHIS, TN (abc24.com) - The Shelby County Sheriff's Office arrested a teen suspect for intentionally causing a fatal accident Monday night.
Deputies were called to the scene of the accident at Brunswick Road and Memphis Arlington Road in northeast Shelby County around 9:45 p.m. on Monday, June 11. The silver Pontiac Grand Am had left the road, striking a utility pole and killing the passenger, 19-year-old James Brandon Pearraw. The driver, 19-year-old John Stacy, was taken to The MED in critical condition.
Witnesses stated that a white Ford Taurus had been repeatedly ramming the back of the Pontiac while travelling northbound on Brunswick Road, forcing it off the road.
Investigators tracked down the other vehicle and the driver, 19-year-old Benjamin Edwards, admitted to causing the accident over a bad drug deal. According to the affidavit, Edwards said he arranged to buy a bag of high-grade marijuana from Pearraw, who he knew from high school. When Edwards met with Pearraw and Stacy, Edwards told investigators Stacy grabbed his $300 and the two drove away without giving him his drugs. Edwards chased after them, ramming their car in an effort to make them pull over and give him back his money, and forced them off the road.
Edwards said he then circled back around to where their car had crashed into a pole, but several people were already surrounding the scene of the accident and started pointing at Edwards' vehicle. Edwards then left the scene and clocked in to work at a nearby McDonald's; he stated he was not aware that anyone was killed or injured in the accident, the document states.
Edwards was arrested and charged with Reckless Homicide and Aggravated Assault.
