Newly unsealed court documents paint a stark picture of the Oct. 26, 2025 crash on Avent Ferry Road that killed 14‑year‑old Max Dunham. Investigators say they found both open and unopened Twisted Tea cans at the scene and inside the SUV driven by 16‑year‑old Ashton Rahlfs, who later registered a blood‑alcohol level of 0.11 and now faces a slate of felony charges, including second‑degree murder. The filings describe photo and video evidence showing an alcoholic can in the vehicle minutes before the collision and detail multiple packs of Twisted Tea seized during a later search. Rahlfs remains jailed without bond as Wake County prosecutors press the case forward.
Holly Springs police said in court filings that officers documented a crash scene stretching more than 200 feet, recovering cans from both the SUV and the nearby woodline. As reported by WRAL, a second intoximeter test at the law‑enforcement center measured Rahlfs' blood‑alcohol content at 0.11, and police said video and phone downloads revealed a pattern of underage drinking. ABC11 reported that the victim was identified as a Holly Springs High School student and confirmed the time and location of the crash.
Additional material obtained by local reporters and detailed in a Wake County search warrant lists items officers say they seized during a Nov. 13, 2025 search of the SUV and a home on Meadow Fox Road. According to the warrant, officers collected two 18‑pack boxes of Twisted Tea, a 12‑pack containing empty cans, a crushed can beside a fence and several loose cans in the woodline. They also reported finding two empty tequila bottles, one full tequila bottle, a half‑empty bottle of cognac and four small marijuana roaches, according to reporting by The News & Observer. Those documents also reference a short video clip that shows a Twisted Tea can in a cupholder roughly eight to ten minutes before the wreck.
What Investigators Said
Police and court records state that crash reconstruction work showed the Honda Passport crossing the center line after the initial impact and then striking a Honda Civic head‑on, injuring the Civic's driver and leaving debris scattered over more than 200 feet. Coverage of the filings summarized investigators' conclusions that Rahlfs had been driving "carelessly and recklessly" at more than twice the 35 mph speed limit, with open and unopened Twisted Tea visible in the SUV and at the scene, as reported by Law&Crime. A passenger in the SUV told police that they had been drinking that night, according to court records.
Community Response
The crash rattled families and classmates across Holly Springs. Holly Springs High brought in additional counselors and notified families after Dunham's death, ABC11 reported. Friends and local musicians have organized benefit events for Brandon Russell, the other driver who was seriously injured, while neighbors have launched fundraisers to support his recovery.
Legal Implications
A Wake County grand jury has returned indictments charging Rahlfs with second‑degree murder, felony death by vehicle and felony serious injury by vehicle, elevating the case beyond the initial misdemeanor DWI counts filed immediately after the crash. Court documents and local reporting state that Rahlfs is being held without bond as prosecutors prepare for trial and investigators continue to review phone downloads and other evidence. The News & Observer notes that police have said additional charges could still be possible.
The investigation remains active. Holly Springs police have asked anyone with information about the crash or the events leading up to it to contact the department's Traffic Investigations and Enforcement Unit. Taken together, local reporting and court records describe a tight timeline between visible alcohol in a teen's vehicle and a fatal collision that has left a community grieving and searching for answers. For more detail on the filings and evidence, see coverage from The NC Beat.
