A 76-year-old Apex man is in custody on multiple felony charges after a vehicle struck a group of cyclists in Wake County on Saturday morning, November 7, killing one rider and injuring several others. Authorities identified the cyclist who died as Patrick Turner. Investigators said they suspect impairment played a role in the crash.
The North Carolina State Highway Patrol responded shortly after 9:30 a.m. to Optimist Farm Road near Talicud Trail. Troopers said the driver hit members of the Capital Cycling Club, who were riding in a group of approximately 30 bicyclists. The collision prompted a response from emergency crews, with injured riders transported to hospitals across the area.
According to investigators, the driver continued away from the collision before his vehicle went off the left side of the road and into a ditch. That second crash occurred about half a mile from the location where the cyclists were struck. The Highway Patrol identified the driver as Donald Robert Morris-Jones.
Injuries among the cyclists ranged from minor to serious. Riders were taken to WakeMed Raleigh, WakeMed Cary and UNC Health Holly Springs, among other area hospitals. Describing the emergency response to ABC11 on Saturday morning, Holly Springs Fire Department Chief LeRoy Smith reported seven trauma patients, one death and approximately 13 people with minor injuries who were receiving treatment and being transported.
Morris-Jones faces eight felony counts of hit-and-run involving serious injury or death, seven felony counts of serious injury by vehicle and one felony count of death by vehicle. Authorities also charged him with driving while impaired, driving left of center and reckless driving. He is being held on a $1 million bond.
Shaun King, board chair of Bike Durham, said he learned about the collision after concerned friends and relatives began sending messages to his wife asking whether they were safe. He said the crash had affected cyclists throughout the region, leaving riders feeling vulnerable because any of them could have been involved.
King described riding two abreast as a way for organized groups to remain compact and reduce the time a passing motorist spends in the opposite lane. Smith also urged drivers to watch for cyclists, recognize their right to use the roadway and exercise caution when approaching them.
King called for further efforts to protect riders through road signs and public education. He suggested signs reminding motorists to share the road, watch for blind turns and pass safely, and said better policy could support opportunities for education.
