Driver, 76, Charged After Crash Into 40-Plus Cyclists Kills One in North Carolina
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A 76-year-old driver suspected of being impaired struck a large group of cyclists on a Wake County, North Carolina, road Saturday morning, killing one rider and injuring at least 12 others, according to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol. The driver was arrested and is being held on $1 million bail.
The crash happened about 14 miles southwest of Raleigh. Injury counts differ between agencies, and the cyclists' injuries range from minor to serious, NBC News reported.
The key numbers in the North Carolina crash
- 1 killed. Highway Patrol identified the dead cyclist as Patrick Allen Turner, 63, of Cary, North Carolina.
- At least 12 injured. NBC News reported that figure from authorities, and CBS News said the patrol put the toll at about a dozen. Holly Springs Fire Chief LeRoy Smith gave a different breakdown: seven people taken to a hospital with major injuries and 15 with minor injuries, CBS reported.
- More than 40 cyclists. CBS News reported that this was the size of the group the car struck.
- 76 years old. The driver is Donald Robert Morris-Jones, who CBS News said is from Apex, North Carolina.
- Half a mile. Officials said the car kept going after hitting the cyclists and ended up in a ditch about that distance away.
- $1 million. This is the amount at which Morris-Jones was being held at the Wake County Detention Center, NBC News reported.
What investigators say happened
Highway Patrol said troopers responded just after 9:30 a.m. According to CBS News, a black Infiniti passenger car was heading west when it crossed the center line and hit cyclists who were riding east. NBC News reported the road was Optimist Farm Road.
The driver did not stop at the scene. The car ran off the left side of the road and into a ditch, officials said. Several of the injured were taken to hospitals.
The charges against the driver
According to NBC News, Morris-Jones faces charges of death by vehicle, seven counts of serious injury by vehicle, eight counts of hit and run, driving while impaired, reckless driving and driving left of center. CBS News described several of the charges as felonies, including death by vehicle, serious injury by vehicle and hit and run involving serious injury or death.
Highway Patrol said impairment is suspected as a factor in the crash. The sources do not describe any test results, and the charges are allegations.
Why it matters for people who ride or drive on rural roads
The crash involved a group that, according to people at the scene who spoke to Chief Smith, regularly gathers for weekend bike rides. That means the victims were taking part in a routine recreational outing when they were hit on a public road.
The case also shows how many separate legal counts can follow a single crash. Charges in this case cover the death, the serious injuries, leaving the scene and the suspected impairment. The differing injury totals suggest the official count could change as authorities gather information from hospitals and the scene.
For the cyclists' families and the wider local riding community, the immediate questions are about the condition of those still hurt. Authorities have not detailed how many remain hospitalized.
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