Raleigh Moped Rider Michael Capers Killed on Hammond Road, Jeep Driver Cited

A moped operator identified by local outlets as Michael Ray Capers died after a collision on Hammond Road in Raleigh just after 2:45 p.m. Wednesday, police and local news reports said. Raleigh officers say a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee rear-ended the moped, ejecting Capers; he was then struck by the Jeep and "died as a result of his injuries," according to police statements reported by ABC11.

WRAL reported officers were called around 2:48 p.m. and said the Jeep was traveling northbound on Hammond Road in the outside lane alongside the moped when the collision occurred. Multiple outlets described the sequence of events the same way: the Jeep struck the rear of the moped, Capers was knocked off the vehicle, and the driver’s vehicle then ran over him. CBS17 described the crash as "Michael Ray Capers, who police said was driving the moped, was knocked off the vehicle and subsequent(ly) ran over by the Jeep, which killed him."

Local reports conflict on the driver’s age and full name. ABC11 identified the driver as "25-year-old Gabriela Perez Ortiz," while WRAL reported "35-year-old Gabriela Ortiz." Raleigh Police cited the driver and both TV outlets list the same three citations: "Misdemeanor Death by Motor Vehicle, Failure to Reduce Speed, and No Operator's License." Police also said the driver remained at the scene after the crash.

Investigators told reporters they "did not find any evidence of impairment" during the on-scene investigation, and ABC11 similarly said "investigators found no evidence of impairment but cited her for misdemeanor death by motor vehicle, failure to reduce speed, and no operator's license." A social media post referencing a Raleigh Police news release placed the crash "on Hammond Road near Rush Street" and noted the department sent a news release just after 9 p.m., though the full release has not been published in the reports reviewed.

The presence of a citation for "No Operator's License" alongside the failure-to-reduce-speed citation raises questions about licensing, enforcement and roadway safety for two-wheeled vehicles on Hammond Road, a busy north Raleigh corridor. Raleigh Police have not released a detailed crash report publicly; WRAL and ABC11 both said the investigation is ongoing.

Raleigh Police continue to investigate the March 4 collision and have cited the driver on misdemeanor charges as the case moves forward. The department has not released a full crash report in the accounts cited, and officials listed that the incident remains under investigation.