A deadly November crash on Trinity Avenue in Gastonia has taken a sharp turn, as a close friend of Rhyne Linker is now openly challenging the SUV driver's dramatic story of being robbed at gunpoint behind the wheel. She says what she saw that night does not match what the driver told police, and her account is putting fresh heat on an investigation that is already digging through car data and surveillance footage.
What the driver told police
According to WSOC-TV, warrants show the SUV driver said he had pulled over to check his GPS when a man in a ski mask allegedly climbed into the vehicle, put a gun to his head, and forced his way inside. The driver claimed he then lost control of the SUV, which hit Linker as he stood on a curb and continued on into a nearby home. Investigators, the station reports, have been combing through doorbell and security camera footage and have requested in-car and vehicle data as they try to verify that account.
Family and witnesses raise doubts
Linker’s wife, Ashley, and his mother, Janice Spidel, say key parts of the driver’s story do not match what they and others remember from that night. “It replays in my mind every day,” Ashley told reporters. Spidel urged anyone involved to “turn yourself in,” as reported by WSOC-TV.
A witness who had been in the car Linker was helping that night told investigators she saw both men run from the scene together, a detail that directly conflicts with the driver’s story of being held at gunpoint by a masked robber.
Investigators turn to data
Detectives say they are leaning on digital evidence to sort out the clashing narratives, focusing on vehicle systems and surveillance footage to piece together what actually happened. Linker, 34, was pronounced dead after the crash in November. An obituary on Legacy.com notes that his family followed his wishes by preparing for organ donation.
With few public updates from authorities so far, Linker’s relatives say they are still waiting for clear answers, while the investigation quietly presses on in the background.
