A man has been charged after leaving the scene of a fatal, pedestrian-involved crash that happened during the overnight hours on Asheville Highway.

At just after 12:30 a.m. on Wednesday, September 25, 2024, Knoxville Police Department officers responded to the 4100 block of Asheville Highway near Yankee Street, where a currently unidentified man had been struck by a vehicle while crossing the road. The pedestrian died as a result of his injuries.

The involved vehicle, which was described by a witness as a blue sedan, left the scene prior to officer arrival. Through continued investigation and with the assistance of Flock license-plate readers, a vehicle matching that description was identified. Officers responded to the registered address for the vehicle on Holston Drive and found a blue Honda Civic with front-end damage and paint color that matched the paints chips that were found at the scene of the crash.

Officers then detained Abraham Briones, age 28. After questioning Briones, he was charged with leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, a class E felony, and driving without a license.

The crash remains under active investigation by KPD crash reconstruction investigators.