A 55-year-old Whiteville man is dead after his motorcycle struck a deer on U.S. 701 south of town in the middle of the night, throwing him from the bike and sending his passenger airborne as well. Terry Walker was riding a Harley-Davidson north on U.S. 701 near Beaverdam Road around 2:30 a.m. on Saturday, September 26.
According to the Charlotte Observer, Walker was thrown from his Harley-Davidson after it struck the deer, and the North Carolina State Highway Patrol later found the dead animal at the scene. The motorcycle overturned, skidded across the center line and ran off the roadway, the paper reported, in a stretch where the speed limit is 55 mph and the highway is not well lit. A woman riding as a passenger was also thrown from the bike; her identity and specific medical condition have not been disclosed, though the Observer reports she is expected to recover.
Walker was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead. His passenger was expected to recover.
A Benefit Ride Is Planned
Walker lived in Whiteville, about 115 miles south of downtown Raleigh, per the Observer. Word of his death spread quickly through the region's motorcycle community, and organizers planned a fundraiser to help his family cover medical expenses.
A benefit ride is scheduled for October 10. The event reflects how tightly knit the local riding community is in the wake of the crash.
Why Deer Strikes Hit Motorcyclists Hardest
The UNC Highway Safety Research Center reported 394 deer crashes in Columbus County in 2020: UNC Highway Safety Research Center.
Walker's crash also landed right at the start of the season when these collisions spike hardest. More than half of North Carolina's annual deer-vehicle crashes happen between October and December, with November alone recording over 13,000 animal crashes between 2020 and 2022, per reporting from WFAE. The same UNC research center notes that more than 80% of deer-related crashes statewide happen during dark hours between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m. Walker's crash occurred at 2:30 a.m. on a stretch the Observer described as not well lit.
WFAE reports that about 90% of reported animal crashes involved deer. But the consequences fall disproportionately on riders like Walker. Nationally, motorcyclists make up 51.9% of all fatalities in live animal-strike collisions, roughly four times their share of overall traffic deaths, according to an analysis by AZ Law Now using data from NHTSA’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System. Motorcycles lack a protective barrier around riders, leaving them exposed to animal impacts.
State Guidance: Don't Swerve
State Highway Patrol reports indicated Walker's motorcycle overturned and skidded across the center line after hitting the deer. A North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission biologist advises drivers not to swerve abruptly to avoid an animal. UNC advises drivers to maintain control and not veer into oncoming traffic, noting that losing control can result in a more serious crash.
