1 killed, 22 injured after elderly driver suspected to be impaired strikes cyclists in North Carolina, officials say

By Sydney Bishop, CNN

(CNN) — At least one person is dead and 22 others were injured when an elderly driver struck a group of cyclists in Wake County, North Carolina, shortly after 9:30 a.m. Saturday, according to authorities. The vehicle crossed the center line before traveling away from the scene and running off the roadway, colliding with a ditch, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol said.

Seven people were taken to trauma centers, and 15 others were sent to local hospitals with injuries, Chief LeRoy Smith of the Holly Springs Fire Department told CNN.

The driver was identified by the highway patrol as Donald Robert Morris-Jones, 76, of Apex, North Carolina. He is currently in custody, the agency said.

Morris-Jones faces multiple charges, including eight counts of hit-and-run causing serious injury or death, one count of serious injury by vehicle and one count of driving while impaired, according to Wake County records. He’s set to appear in court on Monday afternoon, court records show.

CNN is working to determine whether he has legal representation.

The State Highway Patrol identified the person who died as Patrick Allen Turner, 63, of Cary, North Carolina.

Video following the collision appears to show it took place in a wooded area on a winding, two-lane road flanked by trees. Law enforcement could be seen inspecting a stack of bikes propped up against a guardrail as some cyclists remained at the scene, one walking around with a phone to his ear, still wearing his helmet.

The crash occurred about 14 miles southwest of Raleigh.

This story has been updated with additional information.

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CNN’s Nic F. Anderson, Jim Rogers and Eduardo Cuevas contributed to this report.