MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A driver faces a charge of attempted second-degree murder after a jogger says he was hit during a possible road rage incident.
Video obtained by WREG captures the intense moments after the driver of a maroon car sped off after allegedly running over Joseph Farrar.
“That moment after he ran, I was panicking and you know it takes a lot for me to panic, but I was in full panic mode because I didn’t know what to do,” Farrar said.
Farrar was jogging along Highway 64 last week when he says a driver almost hit him. He said he threw his hands up in the air in frustration and the driver became angry.
“He pulled a U-turn and was yelling at me, but I had my headphones in and then he stopped in the median and I ran into a parking lot to try to get some bystander’s attention,” he said.
That’s when the driver allegedly followed Farrar into the parking and hit him head-on with his vehicle. The impact was so bad, it caved in the window and left Farrar with large cuts on his head and hand.
Jimmy Shotwell, who owns Memphis Barbeque Supply in the shopping center, called 911.
“His head, that whole entire side was dripping with blood. It was just massive,” Shotwell said. “It was out of an action movie. The guy hit the front bumper, rolled over the hood, hit the windshield, rolled over the hood like the roof and just bounced off the ground. I’m really surprised he didn’t have any broken bones.”
Ladarrius Carruthers, 23, is charged with attempted second-degree murder and aggravated assault.
Farrar is still processing the situation but says he’s just thankful for the help of first responders as he returns to running.
“I don’t know, just lucky. I do feel bad for the guy. We do all have our anger issues. It’s just take them out constructively and don’t try to run somebody down,” he said.
Carruthers is being held on $125,000 bond. He’s set to appear in court Thursday.