APD Seeks Clues in Fatal I-40 Motorcycle Crash Investigation

Asheville -- July 23, 2026: Asheville Police are actively investigating a fatal single-motorcycle collision on Interstate 40 West that claimed the life of Robert Franklin Owen III. Authorities are appealing for public information to understand why the 2005 Honda motorcycle left the roadway and struck a guardrail.Owen, 49, of Nebo, North Carolina, was identified as the motorcyclist who died following the crash. The incident occurred on July 6 near the 49-mile marker on I-40 West in Asheville. Ow