A driver struck a group of cyclists in Wake County, North Carolina, on Sunday morning, killing one person and injuring about a dozen others.
North Carolina State Highway Patrol troopers responded to the crash on Optimist Farm Road in Apex at about 9:39 a.m. Authorities said a black Infiniti traveling west crossed the center line and hit cyclists riding east.
The car continued down the road before leaving the left side and crashing into a ditch about half a mile from the initial collision, according to highway patrol officials.
The Holly Springs Fire Department said the cyclists were part of a group of roughly 30. Some were treated at the scene, while others were taken to nearby hospitals with injuries ranging from minor to serious.
The driver, 76-year-old Donald Robert Morris-Jones, faces several charges, including felony death by vehicle, seven counts of felony serious injury by vehicle and eight counts of felony hit-and-run. He was also charged with driving while impaired, reckless driving and driving left of center. Authorities suspect impairment played a role in the crash.
Morris-Jones was taken to the Wake County Detention Center and held on a $1 million secured bond.
The cyclist who died was identified as Patrick Allen Turner, 63, of Cary.
Turner’s death has affected cyclists across North Carolina. Cycle North Carolina, which organizes recreational riding events, said in a Facebook post that the loss felt especially close to home. The organization shared condolences with Turner’s family and others affected, and urged cyclists to look out for one another.
Shaun King, board chair of Bike Durham, said the crash had left members of the cycling community feeling vulnerable. He noted that riders often travel two abreast, making the group more compact and reducing the time a passing vehicle spends alongside them.
