NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – The Nashville sports world is mourning the loss of Tennessee State University (TSU) football player Chazan Page, 20, who was killed in a hit-and-run crash on Gallatin Pike. .
According to the Nashville Metro Police Department, Page was crossing Gallatin Pike near Marion Street around 1:30 a.m. Sunday, April 14, when he was struck by a red sedan or small SUV.
The senior is from Nashville and attended Lipscomb Academy before serving as an offensive lineman for the TSU Tigers, which allowed him to share the field with his younger brother for four seasons, according to TSU.
Martial arts instructor Chris White, who has known Paige since elementary school, told News 2 he believed Paige was destined for the NFL.
“When I first heard it happened, I didn't want to believe it. I wanted to believe it was probably a bad dream,” said White, owner of Chris White's Extreme Martial Arts. “I just remember how kind-hearted and respectful he was…When you look at a kid, you can look at that kid and say, 'This is it, he's going to be somebody someday.' , and that was that kid. Chazan was that person.”
Neighbors in Englewood recalled hearing cars come around the corner and speed down Gallatin Pike early Sunday morning. Some say speeding in the area remains a concern.
“You can hear people trying to sleep. You can hear people racing 11 o'clock, 12 o'clock, 1 o'clock. All night long…We call this place Gallatin Beach. It's becoming Gallatin Raceway because of the height of the waves,” said neighbor Maria Andrushenko.
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Andrushenko recalled hearing a noisy nighttime gathering on a neighboring property on Saturday, April 13, which continued into the next morning. She doesn't know what can be done to stop speeding on Gallatin Pike, but she said she hopes this incident will encourage drivers to be more careful.
“After a great semester at school, I learned that he was an upperclassman, he was just trying to get back into his community with his friends, go home in the evening, and die. It’s heartbreaking,” Andrushenko said. .
White urged anyone with information about the Gallatin Pike crash to contact police and help close ties with Page's family.
“Well, it's not fair to them. I mean, it hurts to lose a child this young,” White said. “But I pray for the family. I just want to tell everyone to pray during this difficult time and to lift up and strengthen the family in prayer.”
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Lipscomb Academy head football coach Jamie Graham told News 2 that a photo of Page was recently displayed at the training facility. He also issued the following statement:
Chazan was a wonderful young man and a beautiful soul. One thing that sticks with me about him is his smile. His smile brightened up every room he walked into. He was just a gentle giant and it hurts to know he is no longer with us. We pray for the Page family. He will always be loved and missed.
Officials say the vehicle involved in the hit-and-run was traveling northbound on Gallatin Pike at a high rate of speed at the time of the crash and had significant front-end damage. If you know anything about this deadly incident, please call Crime Stoppers at 100-140-330. 615-742-7463.
