Nearly two years after losing her girlfriend in a tragic hit-and-run crash, Latricia Edwards is channeling her grief into advocacy, hoping a new transit plan will make Nashville’s streets safer for pedestrians and save lives.
Edwards’ then girlfriend, Cierra Burrage, was struck by a vehicle on December 6, 2022, while crossing Oakwood Avenue, believed to be in the crosswalk.
“This year has been a year of less grieving and starting to live again and just, you know, learning how to live without her,” said Edwards.
The suspect, who was driving a 2006 Chevrolet Tahoe, took off from the scene. No arrest has been made. The incident was part of a troubling trend of pedestrian deaths in Nashville. In 2022, 49 pedestrians were killed in the city, though that number dropped to 37 in 2023.
Since the loss of her girlfriend, Edwards has been actively pushing for safer streets. One of her main initiatives has been a petition for a four-way stop sign at the intersection where Cierra was killed, a move that she believes could prevent further accidents.