North Carolina man faces 19 charges after plowing into cycling group outside Raleigh

Cycling groups in North Carolina often travel on narrow, wooded roads where a single moment of inattention can prove fatal. On Saturday morning, that risk became reality in Wake County, 14 miles outside Raleigh, when a driver struck a group of cyclists.

The North Carolina State Highway Patrol reported that 76-year-old Donald Morris-Jones was impaired at the time of the crash. The investigation found that his vehicle crossed the center line and collided with the group of riders. After the initial impact, Morris-Jones continued driving for approximately half a mile before his car came to rest in a ditch.

The collision resulted in one death and at least 20 injuries. Patrick Turner, 63, was killed in the accident. Of the injured riders, seven were transported to a trauma center for treatment. A 911 caller described the scene to dispatchers, noting that a vehicle had hit between 15 and 20 pedestrians and that the driver was stumbling around the area.

Morris-Jones has been arrested on 19 criminal charges. The charges include driving while impaired, death by vehicle, eight counts of hit-and-run, and seven counts of injuring someone with a car. Authorities have not yet disclosed the specific substance for which Morris-Jones is suspected to have tested positive prior to the crash.

Lynn Osborne, a regular member of the cycling group, expressed the frustration common to the sport's community. She described the incident as a frequent occurrence for those who ride on such roads. Osborne stated, "[I'm] angry, honestly, very angry. And I regret that that is the initial reaction, but this happens far too often."

The crash occurred on a forest road designated for low-speed traffic, a setting that limits visibility and maneuvering space for both vehicles and bicycles. The Highway Patrol is continuing its review of the incident, with the driver's impairment status forming the central element of the criminal case.