Skip to Content
Streetsblog Los Angeles home
Streetsblog Los Angeles home
Log In
"Accidents"

Update From NC: Shooting a Cyclist in the Head Is Not Attempted Murder

A grand jury in Asheville, North Carolina has reduced the charge against a motorist who allegedly shot a cyclist in the head from attempted first-degree murder to felony assault.

diez.jpgCharles Diez

According
to reports, on July 26, Alan Simons was shot by Charles Diez after a
confontation along a busy road. The shooting took place in front of
Simons' wife and 3-year-old kid. Diez was reportedly angered that
Simons was riding a bike with his child seated behind him. Simons was
wearing his bike helmet at the time. Miraculously, the bullet missed
his head.

Wheras Diez originally faced up to 13 years in prison, felony assault carries a penalty of around two years. Reports the weekly Mountain Xpress:

Grand
juries deliberate in secret, and District Attorney Ron Moore submitted
both the assault and attempted-murder charges. He told Xpress that he doesn’t know why the grand jury rejected the murder charge.

We don't either, but we can guess

(h/t Cookster)

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog Los Angeles

Metro 2026 World Cup Transit Plans Emerging

From June 13 to July 7, 2026, Los Angeles will host eight World Cup soccer matches, all at the SoFi Stadium in the city of Inglewood

May 9, 2025

Metro Names Bill Scott as Chief of Police

Chief Scott and Metro leadership emphasized that keeping Metro transit safe would require a multi-faceted approach that included the deployment of officers as well as collaboration with the community, ambassadors, and service providers. "Sometimes enforcement is the answer," Scott said. "Sometimes it's not."

May 7, 2025

Lyft’s Anti-Worker Anti-Transit Record Raises Red Flags For Metro Bike Share

Edwin Aviles and Kalayaan Mendoza urge Metro not to reward bad actors working to undermine workers’ rights and mass transit

See all posts