One person was killed and several others injured Saturday morning when a driver suspected of being impaired struck a group of more than 40 cyclists in North Carolina, authorities said.
According to North Carolina State Highway Patrol, a little after 9:30 a.m. Eastern time a black Infiniti passenger car was traveling west on a road in Wake County when it crossed the center line and crashed into a group of cyclists who were biking east.
The driver did not stop at the scene, but continued for about a half-mile before crashing into a ditch on the side of the road, state highway patrol said.
Holly Springs Fire Chief LeRoy Smith said seven
Holly Springs Fire Chief LeRoy Smith said seven people were transported to a hospital with major injuries and 15 others sustained minor injuries. State highway patrol pegged the injury toll at about a dozen, however.
The deceased victim was identified by state highway patrol as 63-year-old Patrick Allen Turner of Cary, North Carolina.
Wake County Sheriff’s Office
The suspected driver, 76-year-old Donald Robert Morris-Jones of Apex, North Carolina, was arrested on multiple charges, including felony death by vehicle, felony serious injury by vehicle, felony hit-and-run involving serious injury or death, reckless driving and driving while impaired, according to officials.
He is being held on $1 million bond.
People at the scene told Smith the cyclists were part of a group that regularly gathers for weekend bike rides.
Wake County is located about 14 miles southwest of Raleigh.
