One cyclist died and more than 20 were injured after a car driver struck a group ride in North Carolina on Saturday, in what the club involved described as “mass carnage”.
Patrick Allen Turner died after the incident, close to Raleigh in the US state, with 22 riders taken to hospital for treatment, seven of which were serious, CNN reported. The car driver reportedly crossed out of its lane just after 9:30am and into a group ride of more than 40 cyclists, before continuing for around half a mile and crashing into a ditch.
The suspected driver, Donald Robert Morris-Jones, was arrested on Saturday morning 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. He is set to appear in court on Monday afternoon.
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The cyclists were on a regular Saturday morning ride organised by Capital Cycling Club in North Carolina, which has exited for over 30 years, when the incident occurred. They asked drivers to “respect the right of cyclists to use the road”.
In a statement released at the weekend, the club said: “We want to first extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Patrick Turner on his tragic loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with you in this time of sorrow and mourning. He was a strong, consistent, reliable and considerate rider.
“We are also thinking about and praying for our friends who were seriously injured yesterday. We want to respect everyone’s privacy, so we will not be releasing any update on anyone’s individual condition.”
“We are all in shock by the senseless decision by the individual that caused the collision,” the statement from the club’s board continued. “This horrific event was -no accident-. As far as we know, the individual made a decision to drive in a way that put others in grave and mortal peril. We do not think there was any possible way the driver did not know that he had collided with the group.
“He chose at that moment to keep driving away from the scene leaving mass carnage in his wake. We are working closely with law enforcement on their investigation. We will continue to follow this case closely as it proceeds to see that justice is done for our friends.
“Finally, we want to thank all of the first responders who were on the scene for your care, dedication and rapid response. The rescue was there within minutes. As difficult as it was for those of us who were on the ride, it was some relief to know that our friends were getting the utmost care. Your professionalism and personal attention to each of the injured even while dealing with multiple serious injuries likely prevented even further loss of life. For this we are very grateful and thank you all.”
