Famous Bass Player Dies in Pedestrian Accident
On December 22 a vehicle crashed into, injured, and ultimately took the life of a prominent Nashville studio musician who was walking near his home. Henry P. Strzelecki, 75, died at the Skyline Medical Center on December 30 as a result of his injuries from the accident. According to police, Mr. Strzelecki was struck near his Waterford Drive home around 5:15 p.m. on December 22nd by a 2007 Nissan Xterra driven by George W. Arnot III, 49, also of Waterford Drive. Mr. Arnot was traveling south on Waterford Drive when he sideswiped a mailbox, hit Mr. Strzelecki and then hit another mailbox. There was no indication of alcohol involvement.
Mr. Strzelecki was known in the Nashville area as a great studio bass player. According to the news outlet CMT, he played on classic songs such as Bob Dylan’s “Blonde on Blonde,” Roy Orbison’s “Oh Pretty Woman” and George Jones’ “He Stopped Loving Her Today.” In addition, Mr. Strzelecki wrote the tune “Long Tall Texan” that the Beach Boys recorded and popularized in 1964.
Mr. Strzelecki recorded and toured with such guitar legends as Chet Atkins and Hank Garland. Among the wide array of other top artists in whose sessions Strzelecki played are Joan Baez, Perry Como, Flatt & Scruggs, Gordon Lightfoot, Jerry Reed, Bobby Bare, Waylon Jennings, Tom T. Hall, and Larry Gatlin.
Mr. Arnot was cited on the night of the crash for failure to exercise due care. He was involved in two property damage crashes late last year on November 3rd and December 26th. So far, Mr. Arnot has not been charged with the death of Mr. Strzelecki.
Tennessee Pedestrian Law
According to the Tennessee Department of Transportation, under the Tennessee code “the driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way, slowing down or stopping if need be to so yield, to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within a crosswalk.” In addition, “when a warning flasher or flashers are in operation, the driver shall stop to yield . . . to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within a marked crosswalk or at an intersection with no marked crosswalk.”
Under Section 55-8-136, “every driver of a vehicle shall exercise due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian upon any roadway, and shall give warning by sounding the horn when necessary, and shall exercise proper precaution upon observing any child or any confused or incapacitated person upon a roadway.” In addition, “every driver of a vehicle shall exercise due care by operating the vehicle at a safe speed, by maintaining a safe lookout, by keeping the vehicle under proper control and by devoting full time and attention to operating the vehicle, under the existing circumstances as necessary in order to be able to see and to avoid endangering life, limb or property and to see and avoid colliding with any other vehicle or person, or any road sign, guard rail or any fixed object.”
Contact a Tennessee Personal Injury Lawyer
If you or someone that you know has been injured in a pedestrian accident by a driver who was negligent in their due care in the Nashville area, let the experienced personal injury lawyers at Calhoun Law, PLC help. Call or contact the office today for a free and confidential consultation of your case.
