A quiet Saturday evening ride on N.C. 751 near U.S. 70 turned violent when a pewter 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe crossed the center line and hit two cyclists, then kept going. One rider is still in the hospital with severe injuries and is expected to face multiple surgeries, while the other was treated and released. State troopers say the driver fled, and they are now working to track down both the vehicle and whoever was behind the wheel.
According to The News & Observer, the crash happened around 7 p.m. Saturday, and both cyclists were taken to Duke University Hospital. The Highway Patrol says the Tahoe crossed into the cyclists' lane before impact. Investigators are asking anyone with information to call the Orange County Highway Patrol district office at 919-732-2551 or the patrol's 24/7 communications center at 336-334-5500.
Local Rider Longtime Voice For Safer Streets
One of the riders hit was Marc Maximov, 56, a Durham resident and longtime board chair of Bike Durham, where he has been deeply involved in local advocacy and organized rides for years.
Maximov told The News & Observer, “It just felt like this person was coming to hit us,” explaining that he tried to swerve before being struck. He was initially treated for bruising and swelling and then discharged, but later went back to the hospital with new symptoms and was told he had a small fracture. The other cyclist, described by relatives as a 27-year-old Duke University graduate student, remains hospitalized with severe injuries that doctors say will require multiple surgeries. His girlfriend called the damage “life-altering.”
How Troopers Followed The Trail
The N.C. State Highway Patrol says investigators obtained surveillance images of the suspect at a Durham tire shop at the corner of Old Oxford and Danube around 7:30 p.m., where the driver was getting a tire changed. Troopers say the Tahoe’s tire looked flat or significantly low before the collision. The SUV was last spotted around 8 p.m. heading west on Carver Street at N. Roxboro Road in Durham. The Highway Patrol is leading the search and has asked the public to help, urging anyone with dashcam or surveillance footage to reach out.
Hit And Run Dangers Across North Carolina
A recent analysis by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that roughly one in five pedestrian and bicyclist deaths in North Carolina between 2017 and 2023 happened in hit-and-run crashes, highlighting how often drivers leave injured people behind. Local advocates, including Bike Durham, say cases like this underline the need for tougher enforcement and safer streets for people walking and biking. Safety groups also point to rising hit-and-run trends nationwide and are calling for coordinated policy changes to better protect vulnerable road users.
Troopers say they especially want to hear from anyone who saw the Tahoe, has dashcam video, or operates a business or home camera that might have captured the vehicle. They ask witnesses to contact the Orange County Highway Patrol at 919-732-2551 and urge residents to review any security footage and share tips so investigators can find the driver as quickly as possible.
