UPDATED: DADE COUNTY, GA (WGNS News) - A devastating hit-and-run collision along Interstate 24 has claimed the life of a Murfreesboro resident just across the Tennessee-Georgia border. Law enforcement officials state that Nicholas R. Daley, 35, succumbed to injuries sustained during a multi-vehicle encounter on Saturday evening, June 6. The fatal event transpired shortly before 5:00 p.m. in Dade County, Georgia, precisely at the split where I-24 West meets Interstate 59 South. This particular location sits roughly five to eight miles beneath Chattanooga, serving as a heavily trafficked corridor for motorists.
According to initial findings by the Georgia State Patrol, an unknown individual operating a red or brown sedan struck the right side of Daley’s motorcycle. The momentum forced the biker off the blacktop, sending him onto the left shoulder before he ran into the median and collided with the end of a steel guardrail. While the victim suffered catastrophic trauma, the phantom operator of the sedan failed to halt, continuing westbound toward the Tennessee state line. Accident reports indicate the fleeing vehicle was traveling in the direction of Murfreesboro / Nashville and coming from the vicinity of Chattanooga.
After the collision this past Saturday, emergency medical technicians rushed the Murfreesboro resident to Erlanger Hospital in Hamilton County, Tennessee. Despite life-saving efforts, clinical staff pronounced Daley deceased shortly after arrival. Meanwhile, first responders quickly cordoned off multiple lanes at the critical highway juncture to facilitate scene documentation and begin the investigation process.
The heartbreaking loss comes just over a year after Daley miraculously survived a previously harrowing motorcycle wreck. In March of 2025, a distracted motorist steering a four-door sedan is beleived to have crossed the center-line while utilizing a mobile phone, hitting Daley nearly head-on, according to several social media posts by friends and even extended family of the man. That prior crash resulted in a grueling recovery process involving intensive physical therapy and weeks of missed employment, according to a past GoFundMe fundraiser to raise finances for his family while he focused on recovering from the wreck.
Following that near-fatal incident last year, the victim's spouse shared a poignant message on social media platforms to protect other riders sharing the pavement: "Please pay attention while driving and always look twice for motorcycles."
The Georgia State Patrol's Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team has been deployed to spearhead the ongoing hit-and-run inquiry. According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, multi-vehicle crashes comprise approximately 60% of fatal motorcycle accidents nationwide, highlighting the unique dangers riders face from larger passenger vehicles.
Loved ones are pleading with anyone traveling near Dade County or Chattanooga on Saturday afternoon (June 6, 2026) to review personal dashcam footage for glimpses of the suspect car. Anyone possessing relevant details or potential leads is strongly urged to contact the state police headquarters immediately at 404-624-6000 to assist the judicial system in bringing closure to the grieving family.
Fundraiser for the Daley Family - Friends of Daley were hit hard by the news of his death and have started fundraising efforts to help the family cover funeral expenses and more. The GofundMe page for Daley states, " He was a positive influence and a true community leader, always there to support and uplift those around him. Now, as we honor his legacy, we want to support his loved ones in their time of need.” Click Here to visit the fundraising website.
