Drag Racer Kills Army Veteran In Car Crash, Speeding Over 100mph

A Nashville father was killed in a car accident on Monday. 

Jacob Barnhardt, 34, was on his way to pick up his children when Patrick Ewin, 31, lost control of his Dodge Challenger Hellcat, striking Barnhardt at over 100mph. Emergency responders took the father to Vanderbilt Hospital, where he unfortunately died. 

Barnhardt’s girlfriend, Kate Kastle, spoke to Weau News saying that Barnhardt was on his way to pick up his two sons after work to join the rest of the family in attendance at his daughter’s softball game. 

“They just ripped him away from us,” Kastle told the outlet. “He was leaving the job that he loved to go pick up the children that he loved.”

She continued: “He didn’t miss anything that had to do with the kids, ever. When I got the call from his daughter’s mom that he wasn’t at the game, and when my boy’s dad called asking if everything was OK because he didn’t pick up the boys, I just knew something happened.”

Police reported that two Dodge Challengers were street racing on the south of Clarksville pike when Edwin lost control and swerved into the opposite lane hitting Barnhardt. A Toyota driver was also involved in the collision but faced zero injuries. 

Per released documents, one of the drag racers fled the scene. Edwin was arrested and charged with vehicular homicide by recklessness, facing minor injuries. 

Law enforcement is still looking for the other driver. 

“He was the most loyal, devoted partner and father/stepfather. He was so incredibly family oriented and did anything to make all of us smile,” Kastle said as she remembered her partner, per Fox 17.

Barnhardt recently retired as an Army special forces combat medic after serving 18 years based at Fort Campbell. 

“He was so excited to spend more time with us as a family,” she mourned.