Asheville Man Dies After Being Struck by SUV on Airport Road

Andrew Robert Angstead, 31, of Asheville died at Mission Hospital on Saturday, April 4, one day after a 2024 Kia Sportage struck him as he attempted to cross Airport Road in South Asheville. The Asheville Police Department responded to the 70 block of Airport Road at 8:41 p.m. on Friday, April 3, following a report of a pedestrian struck by a motor vehicle.

A preliminary investigation determined the Kia Sportage was traveling eastbound when it struck Angstead mid-crossing. The driver remained at the scene. Angstead was transported to Mission Hospital, where he died the following day. APD has not identified any immediate public safety threat in connection with the incident.

The crash is the third pedestrian-involved motor vehicle fatality in Asheville in 2026. Once investigators complete their analysis, the case will go to the Buncombe County District Attorney's Office, which will determine whether criminal charges against the driver are warranted. APD has crash reconstruction resources available to assist in that investigation.

Airport Road is a heavily traveled arterial through South Asheville, carrying commuters, shoppers heading to the South Asheville Walmart and surrounding commercial corridors, and riders connecting to bus service. The stretch around the 70 block draws significant foot traffic despite limited pedestrian infrastructure in places, a tension that has surfaced repeatedly in city and county transportation discussions.

Each pedestrian fatality in Asheville typically triggers an internal crash review by APD and can shape near-term enforcement priorities, including speed and DUI checkpoints, as well as longer-term engineering decisions made in coordination with NCDOT. Three such deaths in the first months of the year may sharpen pressure on city officials to advance targeted improvements along corridors like Airport Road, including signal timing, marked crosswalks, and sidewalk extensions.

Anyone with information about the April 3 crash is asked to contact APD at (828) 252-1110 or submit an anonymous tip through the TIP2APD app.