1 woman killed, 4 people injured, van driver charged in accident at Grandfather Mountain parking lot

After an investigation overnight, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol has determined that a fatal collision of a van into people at the start of a road race on Grandfather Mountain was an accident.

Troopers said James Russell Deni, 80, of Boone, was shuttling people up and down the mountainside on July 7 as they prepared for the start of the annual Bear Race.

Deni "attempted to leave a parked position and accelerated into a group of pedestrians," troopers said. His van came to a stop after hitting a John Deere Gator utility vehicle.

Julie A. Holderness, 72, of Greensboro, died and four others were injured.

Jesse D. Pipes, 43, of Boone, and Ralph E. Summey III, 61, of Shelby, were hospitalized. Adrien J. Herbison, 45, of Newland, was treated for injuries to his neck and leg. A fourth person declined treatment and did not want to speak to investigators.

Deni cooperated with troopers in the investigation and was charged with unsafe movement and misdemeanor death by vehicle.

"This was clearly an accident. He wasn't trying to hurt anybody. Something went wrong," said runner Cory Wilkinson.

The Bear Race is a five-mile run 1600 feet to the top of Grandfather Mountain. The race is held each year at the start of the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games, which is one of the largest Scottish Games in the world.

The crash happened at the start of the race at the intersection of N.C. Highway 105 and U.S. Route 221 in Linville.