Driver Fled After Striking Cyclists, Killing One in Wake County
A 76-year-old man faces over a dozen felony charges after leaving the scene of a crash on Optimist Farm Road that killed Patrick Turner and injured seven others.
By Ibrahim Howard ·
Patrick Turner, 63, no longer has a daily Saturday ride with his cycling friends. On the morning of November 7, a car struck a group of Capital Cycling Club members on Optimist Farm Road near Talicud Trail in Wake County, North Carolina. Turner died in the crash. Seven other riders were hospitalized.
Investigators identified the driver as Donald Robert Morris-Jones, 76, of Apex. Highway patrol officers say Morris-Jones left the initial impact site. He continued driving for approximately half a mile before his vehicle crashed into a ditch. Authorities have filed more than a dozen felony charges against him. The charges include driving while impaired, felony hit-and-run involving serious injury or death, and one count of felony death by vehicle.
Dileep Dadlani has ridden with the Capital Cycling Club since moving to the Triangle in 2008. He described the group as safety-conscious and careful on the road. The news of the crash sent shockwaves through the local cycling community. Dadlani said the immediate reaction was anger and sorrow because the accident involved a driver who was allegedly drinking.
"Yesterday's tragedy completely could have been prevented," Dadlani said. "This gentleman was apparently drinking and driving, which is horrible. Now, we know we lost one life. We've got seven people in the hospital, and 30 people were affected by this tragedy."
The Capital Cycling Club board released a statement on November 9. The club has operated for over 30 years. It hosts an annual charity ride for the MS Society every July 4 in Holly Springs. The board said the riders ride in three designated pace groups on Saturdays. They described the collision as a "senseless decision" by the driver who put others in mortal peril.
"We do not think there was any possible way the driver did not know that he had collided with the group," the board statement read. "He chose at that moment to keep driving away from the scene leaving mass carnage in his wake."
Dadlani said the crash reminded him of a previous incident where he broke his collarbone after being struck by a vehicle. He said he still smells the engine from that memory. He and his wife now avoid riding on public roads because of increased traffic and distracted drivers. He trains on a stationary bike in his garage or rides gravel and mountain trails instead.
A memorial now stands at the crash site. The club is working closely with law enforcement on the investigation. They stated they will follow the case to ensure justice is done for their friends.
