Memphis Police officer Alex Beard has been terminated from the department following an administrative hearing yesterday concerning a fatal crash in which Beard’s police cruiser collided with another vehicle on Crump last August.
On August 26th, 23-year-old Beard was traveling in non-emergency mode eastbound on Crump. A 1996 Mercury Mystique was traveling down Crump in the opposite direction. When the driver of the Mystique was making a turn to go south on Walnut Road, Beard’s car collided with it. The Mystique then struck a pole on the south side of Crump.
The driver of that vehicle was transported to the Regional Medical Center in critical condition, but he was later released. His passengers, 54-year-old Delores Epps and 13-year-old Mackala Epps, died at the scene.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation investigated the crash and sent their findings to the District Attorney’s Office. The administrative hearing was conducted yesterday, and Beard was charged with failure to comply with department regulations relating to response to call, personal conduct, and damage to motor vehicle. He was terminated. Beard had been employed by the MPD since October 2010.
