Police Officer John Ralph Anderson, IV

John Ralph Anderson, IV

Police Officer John Anderson was killed in a vehicle crash at the intersection of Woodland Street and Interstate Drive.

The vehicle that struck him had just fled from other officers who attempted to make a traffic stop on it. The officer terminated the stop when the vehicle fled and did not pursue it. Officer Anderson was en route to assist on an unrelated call involving a pedestrian on the interstate when the fleeing vehicle ran a red light and struck his patrol car.

Officer Anderson's patrol car became engulfed in flames. The passenger in the fleeing vehicle suffered life-threatening injuries. The juvenile driver of the vehicle sustained minor injuries and was charged with vehicular homicide. He was convicted of vehicular homicide and other charges and sentenced to six years in prison and six years probation.

Officer Anderson was a U.S Marine Corps Reserve veteran and had served with the Metro Nashville Police Department for four years and was assigned to the Central Precinct. He is survived by his son, mother, stepfather, father, stepmother, brother, step-brother, two stepsisters, grandparents, and girlfriend.

In 2022, Woodland Street was named the Officer John Anderson IV Memorial Highway between Second and Fifth streets.