“He loved freedom” | Family of motorcyclist who died in hit-and-run accident calls for caution on the roads

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A woman who lost her brother in a hit-and-run crash is urging people to watch for motorcyclists on the roads. She said her brother, Donald Massengill, 54, was killed in a crash near Mechanicsville in Knoxville.

The driver drove away from the scene of the accident, but was later identified and arrested in July 2023 on charges of intoxication manslaughter. KPD officers said they believe Massengill was driving west on Western Avenue when he was struck from behind.

“He loved freedom and the wind in his hair,” said Sandra Restivo, his big sister. “A split-second decision can change many lives forever.”

The driver in the case pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter, leaving the scene of an accident and driving under the influence. She faces up to six years in prison and is due back in court in late June.

Massengill was the youngest of six siblings, but was considered a brother by many others. Restivo said he had just finished his shift as a bus driver for the Knoxville Transit Authority when he was fatally struck.

“We didn’t wait a second,” said Restivo. “According to witnesses, he flew into the air and landed on the concrete. They took him to the hospital, where he was declared brain dead.”

April Violet, known as “Miss Heels on Wheels” for her work in the motorcycle community, said most accidents are due to inattentive drivers, left turns and rear-end collisions.

“It always comes down to a driver saying they didn’t see them,” she said. “Knox County has the third highest number of motorcycle accidents in the state.”

State data shows 193 motorcycle accidents in Knox County in 2023. So far in 2024, 48 have been reported.

“Statistically, August is probably the month when most accidents occur,” Violet said.