Crime · Asheville, NC
Wrong-Way I-26 Crash Suspect Makes First Court Appearance in Asheville
Bradley Lanier, 54, of Taylors, South Carolina, appeared via video from the Buncombe County Detention Center on Friday, Oct. 23, facing charges including DWI, felony death by vehicle, felony serious injury and reckless driving after a wrong-way crash on I-26 in Asheville. The Thursday, Oct. 22 collision at Exit 37 killed passenger Jimmy Lee Brooks of Leicester and seriously injured three others from two Honda vehicles. Prosecutors said Lanier's preliminary blood alcohol level appeared above .35, more than four times the legal limit, though results are not yet official. A judge maintained his $5 million bond; his next court date is Nov. 13, 2026.