On Aug. 20, 2025, at about 11:35 p.m., William Brent Hinds, 51, was killed when his Harley-Davidson was struck at the intersection of Memorial Drive SE and Boulevard SE in Atlanta. Police say a BMW SUV making a left turn failed to yield and struck Hinds; emergency responders pronounced him dead at the scene.
The Atlanta Police Department has confirmed the crash is under active investigation, but has released only limited details. Officials have not publicly identified the BMW driver, and no charging decisions have been announced. Fulton County’s medical-examiner office has verified Hinds’ death.
What investigators have said so far indicates the inquiry is relying on physical evidence recovered at the scene plus the statement provided by the BMW driver, who remained at the location after the collision. As of now, authorities have not released witness statements or full investigative reports. That limited public record leaves several technical questions about the crash unanswered.
Police timelines assembled from initial reports place Hinds westbound on Memorial Drive when the SUV, reported to be turning left from Boulevard SE, entered the motorcycle’s path. Investigators will typically examine vehicle damage, skid and gouge marks, available traffic-camera or nearby surveillance footage, cell-phone records, and toxicology results as part of reconstruction; however, the department has not specified which of those steps have been completed in this case.
The location — Memorial Drive — is part of a corridor with a documented history of serious collisions at multiple intersections, a context that local traffic investigations have highlighted in recent years. While the most-cited high-crash Memorial Drive location is a different intersection (Memorial Drive and North Hairston Road), the broader pattern of dangerous crossings on Memorial Drive adds relevance to the ongoing probe and to rider safety concerns.
Hinds, a co-founder of the band Mastodon, had parted ways with the group earlier in 2025; he was 51. While social media and peers have publicly reacted to his death, this report focuses strictly on the investigatory facts made available by authorities.
Key Outstanding Questions
Who was the BMW driver and will any charges be filed; what do scene measurements and vehicle damage indicate about relative speeds and point of impact; whether traffic or surveillance cameras captured the sequence; and whether toxicology or medical-examiner findings influence any potential charging decisions. The Atlanta Police Department has not provided a timeline for when it will release those details.
For motorcyclists and road safety observers, the next updates to monitor are the official APD crash report, the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s complete findings, and any released camera or witness footage. Until those primary records are available, public accounts will remain incomplete, and many factual questions in the Brent accident will stay unresolved.
