28-Year-Old Man Dies After Being Struck by Vehicle in Downtown Nashville
A 28-year-old man has died after being hit by a car while crossing Fourth Avenue in Downtown Nashville early on Sept. 11, according to the Metro Nashville Police Department.
Nicholas Leonhardt, from Charlotte, North Carolina, was outside a crosswalk near Fourth Avenue and Korean Veterans Boulevard when he was struck by a blue Honda CRV driven by George Henein at approximately 3:20 a.m. Henein fled the scene southbound, police said.
Leonhardt was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center with critical injuries and later died on Sept. 14. Henein, 41, of Murfreesboro, contacted dispatch around 8 a.m. the same day to report his involvement in the incident. Authorities located his vehicle and took him into custody.
As of Sept. 11, Henein faced charges including leaving the scene of an accident with injury and not having a driver's license. Following Leonhardt's death, the Metro Nashville Police Department indicated that additional charges are expected after consulting with the District Attorney's office.
This year, at least 14 pedestrians have been hit by vehicles in Nashville, with Leonhardt being the 13th victim. Authorities noted that of these incidents, 11 have been fatal, and nine involved hit-and-run circumstances. A separate fatal pedestrian accident occurred in South Nashville later on Sept. 11.
Recent community efforts in Germantown have focused on pedestrian safety following prior incidents, including installing new signs and removing obstructive foliage.