Tennessee off-duty police officer cited with misdemeanors after Belmont grad student hit and killed in September 2023
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — “It’s a loss that shouldn’t have happened,” Steve Caldwell said.
News 2 spoke with friends of a Belmont grad student and cyclist who was allegedly hit and killed by an off-duty police officer. The driver was charged with two state misdemeanor citations.
In September 2023, Alyssa Milligan was riding her bike with a friend on Highway 100 when a pickup driver hit and killed her. Metro Police said the driver was cited with two misdemeanors, failure to yield the right of way involving death and failure by a driver to exercise due care.
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Bryan Delius, the attorney for the driver, told News 2 that his client was a Tennessee off-duty police officer. Delius said he’s devastated and has devoted his life to law enforcement and public safety.
“The ticket that he got is not a reflection of the consequences of driving a vehicle and being able to take someone’s life with it,” Lise Matthews said.
Matthews, who cycled with the Belmont grad student, said, unfortunately, cyclist deaths are becoming more common in Middle Tennessee.
With any cycling death, Alvin Haney said his phone starts ringing off the hook.
Last month, a cyclist in Franklin was hit and killed by a driver charged with a DUI.
“Many members of our club were church members with him, he was a church deacon, a lot of people knew him in the community,” Haney said.
In the wake of the recent death, Haney and friends of Alyssa Milligan are now calling on state lawmakers to put an emphasis on what they say is plaguing Middle Tennessee.
“We would like to see the legislature work on creating safe spaces for cyclists so we can be out enjoying the roads and getting exercise just like everyone else wants to do,” Steve Caldwell said.
“We love our city, but what we really have is a dark mark on us and that’s protecting the walking and cycling public. It’s time,” Matthews said.
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Matthews said improving public safety for pedestrians and cyclists is just one way Alyssa’s legacy will live on. “That is my hope is that her story will be the change that has to happen.”
News 2 spoke to the driver’s attorney, Bryan Delius, over the phone Thursday. Delius said the officer simply made an error in judgment and tried to help before EMS arrived.
Delius said they applied to the Davidson County district attorney’s office for pretrial diversion which would effectively suspend the case if certain requirements are met.
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