Natchez Trace Hit And Run Driver Ordered To Rehab

NASHVILLE, TN -- Marshall Grant Neely III, the man who pleaded guilty in an infamous hit-and-run on the Natchez Trace Parkway, will remain in rehab until his formal sentencing in August, a federal judge ruled Friday.

U.S. District Court Judge Waverly Crenshaw said he'll permit Neely to continue his treatment at Cumberland Heights, where he's been since returning to Nashville June 25. Neely was back in court Friday after his probation officer said he'd violated the terms of his pre-sentencing release with "egregious use of alcohol," after Neely admitted he'd been drinking a half-pint of vodka daily for two weeks.

As part of a deal with federal prosecutors, Neely, 59, of Franklin, pleaded guilty to three charges in May connected to the July 2017 hit-and-run of a cyclist on the Natchez Trace Parkway and will be formally sentenced to 10 months in federal prison. Before returning to Nashville, he was staying with family in New York with the agreement of the judge and his probation officer.

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Neely admitted he hit cyclist Tyler Noe of Nolensville July 8, 2017, on the scenic national parkway and sped away.

Noe was cycling with his friend and fellow Nolensvillian Greg Goodman when the accident happened.
Goodman was riding with a camera and captured the hit-and-run on video, which he then posted to Facebook and provided to National Parks Service rangers.

According to Goodman's post, a witness said they saw the same car try to hit another cyclist the week before.

In the Tennessee and Mississippi portions of the 444-mile road, cyclists are permitted to ride in the vehicle lanes.

After the wreck, Goodman told The Tennessean he believes Neely intentionally hit his friend.

According to his arrest affidavit, Neely told police "that a man and woman were standing in the road and threw a bicycle at his car." The video shot by Goodman — a man — shows only Noe — also a man — and has no indication of bicycle throwing.

In an interview with The Tennessean two days after the incident, Neely said it was obvious that initial recollection wasn't entirely correct.

"When the police came and asked me what happened, I said, 'I don’t know.' There was a guy there maybe and I remember he was standing there and I said maybe he threw his bike at me," Neely told the paper. "Obviously, the video shows otherwise. I did not see the man. There were things going on all over the place. If you want, go look on my car, it’s been impounded. There’s not a scratch on my car."

The video — which Neely said looks "not so great" — shows a white pick-up truck safely pass Noe and Goodman and no oncoming traffic prior to Neely hitting Noe in what Neely told The Tennessean was a "quote-unquote soft hit."

Neely said he has received death threats and that the incident is "the biggest nightmare I have ever had in my life."

Photo via United States Department of Justice