Gallatin Pike North Pedestrian Death Involves Three Vehicles, Police Say

Published by Dunk Law Firm

Published:

Updated : Expanded the official three-vehicle sequence, travel direction and identification chronology; added a local follow-up and branded 16:9 and 9:16 illustrated cards.

Branded Dunk Law Firm card. Editorial illustration of an empty generic urban road with a traffic signal and distant emergency lights; not the actual Gallatin Pike crash scene.

Editorial illustration; not a photograph or reconstruction of the actual crash.

Metro Nashville police identified Christopher D. Exum, 51, of Nashville as the pedestrian killed around 1:40 a.m. November 4 in the 1700 block of Gallatin Pike North. The department’s release describes a pickup striking his grocery cart, followed by a red sedan and a motorcycle running over him after he fell. Police said the sedan and motorcycle did not remain at the scene.

The three-vehicle sequence on Gallatin Pike North

The Metro Nashville Police Department's release describes a 41-year-old man driving a Dodge Ram south through the light in front of 1748 Gallatin Pike around 1:40 a.m. Central on November 4. The pickup struck the grocery cart Christopher D. Exum was pushing as he crossed, causing him to fall onto the roadway. The driver then pulled into a parking lot to call 911.

Police said a red sedan and a motorcycle subsequently ran over Exum. Neither stayed at the scene. They asked anyone with information about the departing driver or rider to call the Traffic Division at 615-862-7738. FOX 17's follow-up also reported the southbound travel, the pickup driver's age and the police appeal.

Police reported light rain or drizzle and no signs of impairment by the pickup driver who stayed. The traffic light lacked pedestrian traffic-control devices and painted crosswalks. These are reported conditions, not a determination of fault by a driver, pedestrian or road agency.

The initial police release said the pedestrian carried no identification and the medical examiner would assist with identification. Its update identifies him as Christopher D. Exum, 51, of Nashville. The reviewed material does not name the departing drivers, announce charges, specify the time between impacts or establish which contact caused the fatal injury. No verified later identification or charging update was located in this review.

Questions investigators may examine

Investigators may examine the timing between impacts, each driver’s sight line and the signal operation. Identifying the sedan and motorcycle could help establish movement and braking opportunities. The absence of a marked crossing alone does not resolve a Tennessee pedestrian wrongful death claim, and the published release does not determine civil responsibility.

Evidence that may need preserving

  • Original business surveillance and vehicle video covering the full sequence, not only the final impact.
  • Signal records, scene photographs, witness accounts and emergency-call timestamps, if available.
  • Physical contact evidence from the cart and vehicles, plus medical-examiner records.

Police asked anyone with information about the departing drivers to contact the Traffic Division at 615-862-7738.

What families should know

When several vehicles are involved, a family may need an evidence-based review of each contact rather than a single assumption about causation. Insurance coverage, identification of drivers and the person authorized to bring a claim require individual attention. Preserve correspondence and obtain advice about Tennessee deadlines and any uninsured-motorist notice requirements.

How Dunk Law Firm Can Help

Dunk Law Firm can review the official Nashville account, discuss preservation of video and records, and evaluate potential wrongful death and insurance questions. Any assessment should distinguish a police description from proven civil liability and should not assume a road agency, driver or vehicle owner is responsible without supporting evidence.

Sources

This report summarizes public information checked November 9, 2026 (America/Chicago). It is not a finding of liability, individualized legal advice, or a statement that Dunk Law Firm represents anyone involved. Later official findings may change the account.

Additional sources