Asheville, North Carolina — On the chilly evening of Thursday, January 22, a local man’s life ended in a sudden and heartbreaking way on Smokey Park Highway. Around 8:44 p.m., police and emergency crews rushed to the 400 block of the busy west Asheville road after reports that a person had been hit by a vehicle.
Forty‑eight‑year‑old Eric Jonathan Cope was trying to cross Smokey Park Highway outside of any marked crosswalk when a northbound Ford F‑250 pickup truck struck him, according to a preliminary report from the Asheville Police Department. Cope was immediately taken by medical responders to Mission Hospital for treatment. Despite all efforts to save him, he later died from injuries sustained in the crash.
Investigators said the driver of the pickup truck stayed at the scene and cooperated with officers. So far, there’s no indication that charges have been filed, and authorities are still gathering facts to understand what happened. That includes looking into road conditions, visibility, and other factors that might have played a part in the tragedy.
Friends, neighbors, and people who knew Cope are left reeling from the news. Those brief moments on a busy stretch of road can forever change lives. Asheville police noted that crosswalks and pedestrian infrastructure don’t cover every part of Smokey Park Highway, a reality that some say makes getting across the road at night especially dangerous.
The department has asked witnesses and anyone with information to reach out. You can call the Asheville Police Department tip line or send a message through its anonymous app. Even small details might help investigators piece together the moments leading up to the collision.
Officials expressed their sympathy to Cope’s family and reminded the community that traffic safety remains a shared responsibility. For pedestrians, wearing reflective clothing or using well‑lit crossings after dark can make a difference. For drivers, slowing down and staying alert in high‑pedestrian areas can help prevent similar heartbreaks.
As the case remains under review by police and will eventually be discussed with the Buncombe County District Attorney’s Office, the full picture of what happened that night is still unfolding. For now, Asheville honors the memory of a life lost too soon and urges its community to watch out for one another on its roads.
