Twisted Tea cans found at site of crash that killed Holly Springs teen cyclist
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- Max Dunham, 14, was allegedly fatally struck by 17-year-old Ashton Rahlfs last year.
- Rahlfs, who was allegedly drunk, faces multiple charges, including second-degree murder.
- Police found multiple cans of Twisted Tea at the crash site in November.
At least seven alcohol cans were found at the site of a crash that killed a 14-year-old Holly Springs bicyclist in October, recently published search warrants show.
Max Dunham, died Oct. 26, 2025, when his bike was involved in a crash with a 2021 Honda Passport and a 2008 Honda Civic, The News & Observer previously reported. Police were called to Avent Ferry Road near Holly Meadow Drive about 1:40 a.m. Dunham was pronounced dead at the scene, while 19-year-old Brandon Russell, the driver of the Civic, was seriously injured.
Ashton Rahlfs, 17, the driver of the Passport, was charged that same night with a DWI and other offenses; he was later indicted on charges of second-degree murder, felony death by vehicle and felony serious bodily injury by vehicle, The N&O reported.
Rahlfs is accused of fatally striking Dunham, then veering into the other lane and hitting Russell’s car, Holly Springs police said. He was allegedly driving more than twice the 35 mph speed limit at the time of the crash, and his blood alcohol content was a 0.11, according to police.
Timeline of events
Newly published search warrants offer more insight into the timeline of events that night and why Rahlfs was charged.
Rahlfs told a responding officer at the crash scene he hadn’t consumed any drugs or alcohol that night, according to a search warrant. He’d worked a shift at Vieni Ristobar in downtown Holly Springs that night and was reportedly returning from a friend’s house.
“He stated that he was on his way to drop everyone off at their residences,” the warrant states.
But Rahlfs’ eyes were “extremely red and glassy” and his breath smelled like alcohol, prompting the request for sobriety testing, according to the warrant. A passenger in Rahlfs’ car told police they’d been drinking, the warrant states.
In interviews with witnesses in the days after the crash, police learned Rahlfs got alcohol from an older brother, according to another search warrant. The N&O is not naming the brother because he had not been criminally charged as of Tuesday morning.
About two weeks after the crash, police discovered a video clip on someone’s phone showing “a Twisted Tea can in what appeared to be the center cupholder of a vehicle approximately 8-10” minutes before the wreck, according to a search warrant. When police returned to the crash scene, they found a crushed Twisted Tea can at the site and seven more cans in the woodline.
“The can next to the fence was opened as if someone had been drinking from it along with another one found in the wood across from where [redacted] came to rest,” the warrant states. “The other cans appeared unopened but had punctures on the side and were empty.”
This discovery prompted a search of Rahlfs’ Meadow Fox Road home on Nov. 13, during which police seized:
- Two empty tequila bottles.
- One full bottle of tequila.
- One empty whiskey bottle.
- Three empty vodka bottles.
- A half-empty bottle of cognac.
- Two 18-pack boxes of Twisted Tea with empty cans.
- An unopened bottle of beer.
- Two empty Buzzballs, a brand of ready-to-drink cocktail.
- A 12-pack of Twisted Tea with empty cans.
- A cardboard Patron box.
- An empty Four Loko can.
- Four empty Twisted Tea cans and two unopened Twisted Tea cans.
- A bong.
- Four roaches of marijuana.
- Two empty “Not Ya Sons Weed” packages.
- An empty marijuana container.
Rahlfs remained in jail without bail as of Tuesday morning.
This story was originally published February 17, 2026 at 9:25 AM.
