One-year-old among victims of deadly Northshore crash

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – We now know the identities of the victims of Saturday’s tragic crash on the Chattanooga Northshore.

As one man waits to be placed in custody, those who witnessed the crash are still shaken.

The physical damage is boarded up, but the emotional damage is still very real.

That damage is leading business owners and residents to demand change.

41-year-old Anna Posso Rodriguez and one year old Jonathan Deliva, the victims who passed away from Saturday’s crash on Frazier Avenue after being struck as pedestrians. (Courtesy: GoFundMe)

One Northshore business owner, Jeanne Trewhitt of Child’s Garden Boutique on Frazier Avenue, said, “I was sitting with my back, and I heard the tires, and I got up because I thought it was going to come into this building.”

Another Northshore business and property owner, Jessica Dimitru of Art Creations on Frazier Avenue, said, “Around 3:15 we felt the building shake, almost like an earthquake, and heard a big boom.”

That boom was the sound of a vehicle crashing into a gift shop, which is a tenant of the building owned by Jessica Dimitru’s family.

The owner of Zi Olive on Frazier Avenue, Charlie Kimball, said, “I saw a flash of the black truck speed by the building.”

Chattanooga Police say that crash led to the deaths of 41-year-old Anna Posso Rodriguez and one year old Jonathan Deliva. 

40-year-old Octavio Delvia Paz remains in critical condition at a local hospital. 

A GoFundMe set up for the victims says they were on vacation in Chattanooga from Jacksonville, Florida, and that they were shopping at the time of the crash. 

The crash occurred during an especially busy time for the area as it was Small Business Saturday.

On the scene of the crash, flowers in remembrance of Rodriguez and Deliva were placed.

Dimitru says this is far from the first time her family’s building has been struck.

She said, “My family discussed it, and I think it’s the eighth time since 2000 that a vehicle has struck our building. It’s the first time with fatalities but not the first time for injuries or damage.”

Those on the Northshore believe change is needed now.

Trewhitt said, “Lower the speed limit to 20 or 25 miles per hour. No higher. Give us the raised pedestrian crossings.”

Dimitru said, “The postcard for Chattanooga is the Walnut Street Bridge, which is a pedestrian bridge. We draw people here on foot and yet we’ve done nothing to protect them from the high rate of speed people drive up and down Frazier Avenue on a daily basis.”

Those we talked to say they plan to be at Chattanooga City Council to demand action in the wake of this tragedy. 

News 12 plans to be there to see the city’s response to this situation.

We asked the city for a response on Monday to citizen concerns but have not heard back from them.