The infamous white Ford Bronco involved in the OJ Simpson chase is now on display at a Tennessee crime museum as an "iconic piece of history."
Simpson's murder arrest led to a notorious police pursuit in 1994, which lasted for hours and involved a slow-moving vehicle.
On Thursday, the death of former NFL running back O.J. Simpson brought back memories of his Hall of Fame career, his life after football, and the infamous murder trial for the deaths of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman.
On June 17, 1994, a national intrigue moment involving Simpson occurred when TV programs, including Game 5 of the NBA Finals, were interrupted to broadcast the slow-moving pursuit of a white Ford Bronco on empty Southern California freeways.
Since the infamous chase, no car has been more associated with vehicle pursuits than the "white Ford Bronco." Despite the 30-year gap, the phrase still elicits memories.
"The 1993 Bronco is remembered like significant events such as 9/11 and other major occurrences because it evokes strong emotional responses, according to Ally Pennington, the artifacts and programs manager at the Alcatraz East Crime Museum in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The Bronco has been displayed there since 2016. People recall the exact location and time when the O.J. chase happened, making it a memorable event in history."
"According to Pennington, the piece of history is iconic regardless of any implications attached to it, as stated to Planet Chronicle Digital."
Simpson was a passenger
That June afternoon, Al Cowlings, a former teammate and childhood friend of Simpson, was driving the Bronco with a gun in the back seat and threatening to take his own life while on the phone with law enforcement, who begged him to surrender.
Earlier, authorities obtained a warrant for Simpson's arrest in connection with the double murder.
The chase attracted millions of viewers, with onlookers crowding onto freeway overpasses to witness the real-time action. The pursuit eventually ended at Simpson's home in Brentwood, where he surrendered to police without incident.
The Bronco, once owned by Cowlings, is now displayed at the Tennessee museum alongside other notorious vehicles linked to renowned American criminals.
The Bronco is positioned beside a 1993 Essex Terraplane, the Volkswagen Beetle of notorious gangster John Dillinger, the car used in the 1967 "Bonnie and Clyde" film, and the car used by serial killer Ted Bundy.
One of our most popular galleries in the museum is the one Pennington mentioned, he stated.
The museum recently shared a photo of the vehicles on social media.
30th anniversary
The museum will commemorate the 30th anniversary of the murders with an upcoming exhibit, as Pennington announced. Previously, the museum had paid tribute to Nicole Brown Simpson through an exhibit that showcased her life.
In a criminal trial, Simpson was acquitted of the slayings, but in a 1997 civil trial, he was ordered to pay $33.5 million to the Brown and Goldman families.
On Thursday, it was announced that he had passed away from cancer at the age of 76.
""Orenthal James Simpson, our father, lost his battle with cancer while being surrounded by his children and grandchildren," read a post on the official OJ Simpson X account."
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