Nashville motorcyclist killed in crash as Tennessee motorcycle deaths climb

A 35-year-old motorcyclist died after a crash on Hermitage Avenue Wednesday afternoon, marking another fatal motorcycle crash during a year that has already seen nearly as many motorcycle deaths statewide as all of 2025. According to the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, William B. Scott was riding a Kawasaki ZX1 southbound on Hermitage Avenue around 4:40 p.m. on June 3 when he collided with a Mercedes sedan crossing the roadway from Academy Place. Scott was transported to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he later died. Police said witnesses reported Scott was speeding and driving recklessly before the crash. Investigators found no evidence of impairment by either driver at the scene. The fatal crash comes as Tennessee continues to experience a sharp rise in motorcycle fatalities. Data from the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security's Traffic Fatality Dashboard shows 63 motorcycle deaths have been recorded statewide so far this year. By comparison, there were 66 motorcycle deaths total in 2025 and 68 in 2024. Motorcyclists remain among the most vulnerable road users because they lack many of the protections available to occupants of passenger vehicles. Safety experts routinely cite speeding, reckless driving, impaired driving, and failure to yield as major factors in fatal motorcycle crashes.