Justin Fortner Obituary, Death; – A 35-year-old woman has been charged in relation to the fatality of a motorcyclist on Interstate 40 in Donelson earlier this year.
The incident occurred in the westbound lanes near the Briley Parkway interchange at approximately 11:45 p.m. on Thursday, May 16. According to Metro police, Justin Fortner was riding alongside another motorcyclist when he was struck and killed. The driver of a Buick Enclave, later identified as Catherine Reed, informed officers that a truck, possibly a semi-truck, passed her and collided with Fortner.
Reed allegedly told investigators that this truck did not stop and continued north on Briley Parkway as Fortner was ejected from his motorcycle.
The Buick sustained damage to its front end as a result of the collision with the motorcycle. Detectives subsequently sought to verify Reed’s account of the events surrounding the crash.
A roadside safety advocate contacted investigators and provided video footage of the incident captured by Tennessee Department of Transportation cameras. According to court documents, the video reportedly depicts only the two motorcycles and the Buick exiting together, with no semi-truck present.
Reed stated to detectives that she acknowledged hitting the motorcycle but believed she had been cut off, claiming to have consumed no more than four beers throughout the evening.
Investigators retrieved data recordings from the Buick, revealing that Reed was traveling at 85 mph on the exit ramp, which has a posted speed limit of 45 mph. Reed was taken into custody at the Metro jail on Wednesday and charged with vehicular homicide. She has since been released on a $15,000 bond.
