Holly Springs: Judge keeps $1 million bond in cyclist crash

In Holly Springs, a Wake County judge left a $1 million bond in place Monday for the Apex driver charged after a car hit cyclists on Optimist Farm Road. One rider died Saturday. The Monday stories do not list the charges the same way.

Donald Robert Morris-Jones, 76, of Apex, was in court on Nov. 9. WRAL reported that he appeared by video and that a judge kept the $1 million bond. ABC11 reported that he remains in jail on a $1 million bond. WRAL's file was posted at 3:30 p.m. Eastern and updated at 5:20 p.m. Eastern. Those Eastern times are the page's UTC stamps converted. ABC11's file carries machine times around 6:30 p.m. and about 7:01 p.m. Eastern.

ABC11 named Judge Mark Stevens. In that story he told Morris-Jones, "The total maximum punishment is 1,089 months in prison plus three years plus 60 days," and later, "Somewhere around 112 years in prison." WRAL reported that a judge put the exposure at up to 112 years and did not print the judge's name.

The charge lists do not match

WRAL's Monday account says the charges are felony death by vehicle, seven counts of felony serious injury by vehicle, eight counts of felony hit-and-run, driving while impaired, and other traffic offenses. ABC11's Monday account says he appeared on 19 charges, including driving while impaired and nine counts of felony hit-and-run.

The Saturday stories in this file, from WRAL and from ABC11 citing the Highway Patrol, listed eight hit-and-run counts and seven serious-injury counts, plus driving left of center and reckless driving. ABC11 then described the hit-and-run counts as involving serious injury or death. This page is not choosing among those lists. The counts are accusations. Morris-Jones is presumed innocent unless he is proven guilty in court. No statement from him or from a lawyer was in the stories opened here.

WRAL reported that prosecutors said he kept driving and was found about a half-mile away after hitting a sign. The Highway Patrol passage in that Monday story says he left his lane, struck Capital Cycling Club riders, continued about a half-mile, hit a sign, and crashed into a ditch, and that troopers responded around 9:40 a.m. ABC11 quoted Wake County Assistant District Attorney Mary Mangum: "Ultimately, this defendant kept driving and was located approximately one-half mile down the road. After running off the roadway down there." ABC11 wrote that the black Infiniti stopped after striking a ditch.

WRAL reported that authorities described a field sobriety test, an odor of alcohol, "very slurred speech," swaying while standing, and a refused preliminary breath test. It said a blood-alcohol number was not given in court. ABC11 wrote that prosecutors alleged he was under the influence. The Saturday stories said investigators suspected impairment and did not name alcohol, drugs, or medication.

WRAL also reported that release would require an electronic monitor and a ban on alcohol and driving, that court papers say he has no record and call him an overwhelming danger to society, and that the next date is Nov. 30. Those lines are not in the ABC11 story opened for this update.

A CBS 17 headline, "Suspect in deadly cyclist crash appears in Wake County court," was linked from that station's site. The article itself was not opened, so it is not a source here.

How many people were hurt

Holly Springs Fire Chief LeRoy Smith told ABC11 on Saturday, "We had seven traumas, one fatality and about 13 minor injuries that are being treated and transported now." WRAL, also citing Smith, reported 20 people injured, seven seriously and 13 with minor injuries. WRAL's Monday story repeats that 7-and-13 split. ABC11's Monday story says 20 people were injured and does not repeat the split.

ABC11's Saturday story also says nearly a dozen additional cyclists were hurt, from minor to serious, and names WakeMed Raleigh, WakeMed Cary and UNC Health Holly Springs. The News & Observer's headline says one person was killed and seven were taken to hospitals, and its story says as many as 20 cyclists were injured.

On Monday, Capital Cycling Club President Tim Charlino told both WRAL and ABC11 that six people were still in the hospital. WRAL said their conditions were not known. ABC11 said the six had serious injuries.

Who died

The rider's name was already in this file. ABC11's Saturday story said authorities identified him as Patrick Turner. WRAL said Patrick Turner, 63, of Cary, died at the scene. ABC11's Monday story also says 63-year-old Patrick Turner. The text opened here does not add a city. Cary remains WRAL's detail. The News & Observer's crash story attributed the age and city to WRAL.

Saturday on Optimist Farm Road

WRAL and The News & Observer placed the wreck at about 9:40 a.m. near Talicud Trail, in eastern Holly Springs. ABC11's Saturday story, citing the Highway Patrol, said troopers were called just after 9:30 a.m.

The group was about 30 riders. Monday stories from WRAL and ABC11 say Capital Cycling Club. The fire department account in WRAL's first story calls the group the Capital Cyclist Club.

That fire account said the riders were headed east when a black Infiniti left its lane, hit several of them, crossed back, and landed in a ditch about a half-mile away. The News & Observer described a black Nissan Infiniti that crossed the center line into riders going the other way, on a downhill curve. ABC11's Saturday story, citing troopers, said the driver struck the group, drove on, left the left side of the road, and crashed into a ditch about a half-mile from the cyclists.

WRAL's first story also said he is accused of trying to flee after driving about a half-mile and getting out of the car.

The road

WRAL's crash story reported that Optimist Farm Road has since reopened. The News & Observer wrote that the road was closed until early afternoon. The Monday stories opened here do not update that. This page is not stating a current road status.

We have not read a standalone Highway Patrol or Holly Springs Fire Department release. The Saturday lines are what those agencies told the newsrooms.

Related coverage

• Wake County hub
• Earlier Wake road file: Six Forks at I-540
• Public safety

Triangle Local is not the Highway Patrol, the courts, or an emergency service. If anyone is in danger, call 911.

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