MEMPHIS, TN — Tennessee Highway Patrol is releasing new details about a fatal crash in South Memphis that followed a high-speed pursuit and ended in flames. The crash happened just after midnight on Oct. 1 on South Third Street, and the driver died at the scene.

For several days after the wreck, officials did not publicly identify the victim or explain what led to the crash. A preliminary report now says the driver, identified as Carl Remble, was fleeing a state trooper when the collision happened. A passenger in the vehicle was taken to the hospital.

Preliminary report says driver was going 120 miles per hour

According to the preliminary report obtained by FOX13, Remble was “actively fleeing” the trooper and was driving 120 miles per hour on South Third Street. The report gives the first detailed account of the events that led to the deadly wreck.

The pursuit ended after the trooper performed a pit maneuver, a tactic used to make a fleeing vehicle spin to a stop. In this case, the maneuver caused Remble’s vehicle to lose control and leave the roadway. State officials have not released any additional information about how long the pursuit lasted or what prompted the initial attempt to stop the vehicle.

Car struck a mailbox and utility pole before catching fire

After spinning off the road, the car hit a brick mailbox and a utility pole, then caught fire, the report said. FOX13 crews had responded to the aftermath of the blaze days earlier and described the scene as a fiery crash in Southwest Memphis.

Remble died at the scene. Troopers said the passenger survived the crash and was transported to the hospital for treatment. Officials have not said how serious that passenger’s injuries were.

Officials had shared few details in the days after the wreck

In the days after the crash, Tennessee Highway Patrol had not said what caused the wreck or identified the person who died. That left family members, neighbors and viewers with little public information while investigators continued their review.

The new report gives a clearer picture of the sequence of events, but it still leaves some questions unanswered. THP has not said whether the trooper was injured, whether any charges are expected, or what factors investigators are weighing as they examine the fatal encounter.

South Memphis crash adds to concern around high-speed pursuits

The crash unfolded in a busy part of Memphis and ended with a vehicle engulfed in flames, adding to the sense of urgency around dangerous pursuits on city streets. High-speed chases can create risks not only for drivers and officers but also for passengers and people nearby.

In this case, the report says the vehicle was moving at extreme speed before the pit maneuver and subsequent impact. The combination of speed, loss of control and fire made the crash fatal for the driver and left the passenger needing hospital care.

What the Tennessee Highway Patrol has and has not said

The preliminary report is the clearest explanation yet of how the wreck happened, but it is still only an initial account. Tennessee Highway Patrol has not publicly released a full investigative finding or said whether the incident will lead to any changes in how the stop is reviewed.

For now, the agency’s account says the driver was fleeing, the trooper used a pit maneuver, and the vehicle then struck fixed objects before catching fire. That sequence stands at the center of the investigation as authorities continue to piece together the final moments before the fatal crash.