One cyclist was killed and 20 others were injured Saturday morning when a driver veered across the center line of a Wake County road and plowed into a group of about 30 riders from the Capital Cycling Club, according to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.
Crash and Arrest on Optimist Farm Road
The collision happened just after 9:30 a.m. along Optimist Farm Road near Talicud Trail, roughly 14 miles southwest of Raleigh, as the club members pedaled east. According to the state highway patrol, a black Infiniti passenger car traveling west crossed the center line and struck the cyclists. The driver did not stop at the point of impact, but continued driving for about a half-mile before running off the left side of the roadway and crashing into a ditch, as reported by CBS News.
State troopers identified the driver as 76-year-old Donald Robert Morris-Jones of Apex, North Carolina. Authorities arrested Morris-Jones, where broadcastify radio traffic described him as an older white man stumbling near the disabled vehicle. Investigators suspect impairment played a role in the crash.
The impact killed 63-year-old Patrick Allen Turner of Cary, North Carolina, who died at the scene, according to WRAL. First responders found 20 other injured cyclists.
Hospitalized Riders and Extent of Injuries
Chief LeRoy Smith of the Holly Springs Fire Department told CNN that emergency crews transported seven individuals with major or traumatic injuries to regional trauma centers, while 13 others received hospital treatment. Arrest warrants filed in the case detail specific injuries among the survivors, including leg trauma, broken ribs, and cut arms. Victims were transported to multiple medical facilities, including WakeMed Raleigh, WakeMed Cary, and UNC Health Holly Springs, utilizing a Wake County EMS bus to clear the scene.
Cycling Community Leaders Call for Enhanced Public Safety Measures
Shaun King, board chair of Bike Durham, learned about the collision through worried messages sent by family and friends. He noted that members of the regional cycling community felt deeply vulnerable following the incident, emphasizing that the harm experienced by members of the club could have happened to any group of riders. King explained that cyclists often travel in compact formations, riding two abreast so that passing cars spend a shorter duration in the opposite lane. To improve conditions on local roadways, King advocated for enhanced public education initiatives and better signage warning drivers about blind curves or reminding motorists to share the road.
Chief Smith also appealed to motorists to exercise greater caution and recognize that bicyclists possess the legal right to use public roads. The route along Optimist Farm Road has a history of cycling activity, with participants frequently gathering for weekend rides.
Driver Faces Multiple Felony Charges Ahead of Court Appearance
Morris-Jones is being held at the Wake County Detention Center under a $1 million secured bond. Court documents note that he has no prior criminal record but is considered an overwhelming danger to society.
The charges against Morris-Jones include driving while impaired, felony death by vehicle, seven counts of felony serious injury by vehicle, eight counts of felony hit-and-run, reckless driving and driving left of the center. Court records indicate he is scheduled to make his first appearance in court on Monday afternoon, November 9.