1 cyclist killed, 20 hurt after impaired driver hits them, officials say

A North Carolina man is facing 19 criminal charges after reportedly driving into a cycling club on a rural county road outside Raleigh Saturday morning, killing one cyclist and injuring at least 20 more. 

According to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, the suspect, 76-year-old Donald Morris-Jones, was impaired at the time of the crash. 

Cyclist killed

What we know:

Troopers told WRAL the group of cyclists were riding on a wooded forest road in Wake County, about 14 miles outside of Raleigh, when an oncoming car crossed the center line and drove into the group.

According to Highway Patrol, the driver, later identified as Morris-Jones, kept driving after hitting the cyclists, then reportedly drove his car into a ditch about a half-mile down the road.

"A vehicle just hit 15 to 20 pedestrians. The driver is currently out stumbling around at this time," a 911 caller told the dispatcher. 

Highway Patrol said one of the cyclists, 63-year-old Patrick Turner, was killed, and at least seven of the 20-plus people injured were taken to a trauma center. 

Morris-Jones was arrested on 19 charges, including driving while impaired, death by vehicle, eight counts of hit-and-run and seven counts of injuring someone with a car.

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What we don't know:

Authorities haven’t said what substance Morris-Jones is suspected of taking before the crash. 

‘This happens far too often’

What they're saying:

Lynn Osborne, a cyclist who often rides with the group that was hit, said incidents like this happen "far too often" in the cycling community. 

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"[I’m] angry, honestly, very angry," Osborne told WRAL. "And I regret that that is the initial reaction, but this happens far too often." 

The Source: This report includes information from North Carolina State Highway Patrol and video and information from WRAL.