The key facts
- One cyclist was killed and seven sustained serious injuries; the number of injured in reports ranges from 20 to 22
- The driver was charged with causing death, leaving the scene of the accident, and driving under the influence; bail set at $1 million
- After the collision, the car traveled another 800 meters and slid into a ditch
Vehicle plows into group of cyclists near Raleigh
On the morning of November 7, on Optimist Farm Road near the city of Raleigh in North Carolina, a car crashed into a group of about 30 cyclists riding on the opposite side of the road. This was reported by Life.ru citing preliminary police data and the CNN television channel. According to the investigation, 76-year-old Donald Robert Morris-Jones was driving a black Infiniti, crossed the center line and entered the lane where the cyclists were riding. After the collision, the driver did not stop and continued driving, but about 800 meters later he ran off the road and ended up in a roadside ditch.
The victim and the injured
The victim was 63-year-old Patrick Allen Turner from the city of Cary. Among the injured, seven sustained serious injuries. The number of injured is not consistent across available reports: CNN's initial report said 22 injured, later local media cited the figure of 20 — the outlet Gazeta.Ru also lists 22 injured. The final number of casualties has not yet been confirmed.
Charges and bail
Police detained the driver. The investigation is considering the possibility that the man may have been driving while intoxicated. He was charged with causing death and serious bodily harm in a traffic accident, leaving the scene of the accident, driving under the influence, and reckless driving. The court set bail for Morris-Jones at one million dollars; pending the proceedings, he has been placed in the Wake County jail.
