The North Carolina State Highway Patrol filed charges July 16 against the dump truck driver who veered across the center lane of N.C. 251 July 1, killing two Asheville cyclists and wounding another.
Cody Dale Mundy, 34, of Alexander, faces two counts of misdemeanor death by vehicle and driving left of center, Trooper Clint Crane told the Citizen Times July 16. Crane, who investigated the crash, said Mundy was released on an unsecured bond and has been “cooperative” throughout the investigation. His first appearance in Madison County District Court is scheduled in September.
Five miles outside the Buncombe County border just before 6:45 p.m. July 1, officials say Mundy veered left of center on N.C. 251, striking three cyclists head on. Crane said they do not suspect impairment to be a factor in the crash, but they are waiting on blood test results. If toxicology comes back positive, there would be an additional charge against Mundy based on the district attorney’s discretion.
That evening, seven cyclists started out on what many local riders refer to as “Tuesday Night Worlds,” a weekly cycling route on the “scenic byway” along the French Broad River. Shortly after the group’s turn back toward Asheville, Griffin Tichenor, the third rider injured in the accident, said he looked up from glancing at his bike computer seconds before the truck clipped his back wheel.
Jacob Hill, 32, and Leonard “Lennie” Antonelli, 27, both of Asheville, died in the crash. Over the next week, hundreds of Asheville cyclists took to the streets and collected in bike shops to commemorate the two young athletes.
A memorial fills the entryway of Liberty Bicycles July 6 in honor of Leonard “Lennie” Antonelli and Jacob “Jake” Hill, two young cyclists killed by a dump truck July 1.
Troopers completed the inspection of the dump truck on July 10, NCSHP secretary Dawn Stamey previously told the Citizen Times. Crane said he waited to conduct the dump truck inspection with people specialized in commercial motor vehicles to ensure nothing went wrong with the truck. At the time, Crane was unsure what caused the crash.
Crane said he has not yet received the official inspection report. The truck has been sent to Raleigh to download any data that would show the driver’s exact speed and other factors.
“I don’t have the words for stuff like this. It’s just sad. It breaks my heart when you have to talk to the families. That’s one of the hardest parts of my job,” Crane said.
“Then to see the truck driver’s emotional state, I mean, he’s torn up about it. It’s just a sad situation overall.”
A memorial of flowers, water bottles and a bike frame lie in honor of Jacob “Jake” Hill and Leonard “Lennie” Antonelli July 3 where they were struck by a dump truck on N.C. 251 on July 1.
Previous reporting: ‘Never again’: Asheville cycling community mourns humble, kind men killed by dump truck
When he arrived at the crash, Crane said the dump truck was on its side down the embankment near the French Broad River. Mundy suffered minor injuries and was taken to Mission Hospital.
Not long after the crash, he spoke to Mundy, who had a hard time talking while he was still in shock, Crane said. The driver said he heard a “loud pop,” went left of center and tried to straighten the vehicle, according to Crane.
The dump truck is owned by a private trucking company in Marshall. The Citizen Times reached out to the company and attempted to reach Mundy.
The driver was travelling at 40 mph at the time of the crash, according to a crash report obtained by the Citizen Times. The speed limit on that stretch of N.C. 251 is 55 mph.
Jacob Hill and Leonard Antonelli stand together on the podium at the Subaru Huntersville Cycling Classic in 2024.
Before completing their investigation, troopers had already discussed the case with the district attorney, but they were waiting to have all the information to meet with the driver and charge him based on the district attorney’s determination, Stamey said.
In the days after the crash, friends, family members and teammates spoke of both Antonelli and Hill’s humility, team mentality and ever-present nature. The two young cyclists moved to Asheville from Indiana and Florida, respectively, chasing their cycling dreams. They quickly flourished, earning Olympic-level Category 1 status.
This story will be updated.
Ryley Ober is the Public Safety Reporter for Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at rober@gannett.com and follow her on Twitter @ryleyober
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: North Carolina driver charged in crash that killed Asheville cyclists