ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — The Asheville Police Department is investigating a fatal motor vehicle collision that resulted in the death of a motorcyclist on Friday night. The accident is the third motorcycle-related crash and the second fatal motorcycle collision since July 1, 2026.
APD officers responded to the collision around 9:02 p.m., Friday, July 3, around the 200 block on Tunnel Road in East Asheville.
Justin Tyler Evans, 34, was traveling on a Yamaha motorcycle “west on Tunnel Road at a high rate of speed and making sudden lane changes” when the bike collided with a 2020 Dodge Journey attempting a left turn onto Buckstone Place, APD said.
The collision caused Evans and a passenger to be ejected from the motorcycle. Both sustained critical injuries and were transported to Mission Hospital, where Evans later succumbed to his injuries. Next of kin has been notified.
“The investigation into the collision is active and ongoing. Upon completion of the investigation, the Asheville Police Department will consult with the Buncombe County District Attorney’s Office,” APD said. “If you have any information about this incident, please contact APD at (828) 252-1110. You can also send an anonymous tip using the TIP2APD smartphone application (search “Asheville PD” in your app store) or by texting TIP2APD to 847411.”
Asheville motorcycle crashes
The accident was preceded by the death of Subastion James Samuel Cruz-Galyon, a 20-year-old motorcyclist from Canton, N.C., who passed away after a crash on July 1, 2026. Read more about Cruz-Galyon here.
On Monday, July 6, a motorcyclist was seriously injured after colliding with a tractor-trailer on I-40 West. Read more about the incident here.