Background: News footage of the scene in Holly Springs, N.C., where Max Dunham was killed on Oct. 26 (WTVD). Inset (left): Max Dunham (Dignity Memorial). Inset (right): Ashton Rahlfs (Wake County Sheriff’s Office).
A tragic incident involving a North Carolina teen has led to murder charges after a fatal drunk driving crash claimed the life of a 14-year-old. The young driver reportedly had several cans of Twisted Tea in his vehicle at the time.
At just 16, Ashton Rahlfs was allegedly intoxicated while driving his Honda Passport, resulting in the death of Max Dunham on October 26, 2025. The crash also involved a collision with 19-year-old Brandon Russell’s Honda Civic, leaving Russell with severe injuries that necessitated hospitalization. Rahlfs faces multiple charges, including second-degree murder, felony death by vehicle, felony serious injury by vehicle, driving while intoxicated, and additional offenses.
According to search warrants obtained by WRAL, a local NBC affiliate, authorities discovered eight cans of Twisted Tea—an alcoholic beverage—near the crash scene. During the investigation, a video surfaced that purportedly shows an open can inside Rahlfs’ car just before the accident occurred.
As previously reported by Law&Crime, Rahlfs was operating the vehicle with only a learner’s permit and allegedly drove “carelessly and recklessly” through a neighborhood in Holly Springs, North Carolina. The warrants revealed that additional alcoholic beverages were found at the Rahlfs’ residence, including empty bottles of tequila, whiskey, and vodka, along with two 18-packs of Twisted Tea, and various other opened and unopened drinks. Investigators also reportedly discovered a bong and marijuana-related items.
WRAL noted that Rahlfs’ older brother had earlier faced citations for supplying him with alcohol. Holly Springs Police Chief Paul Liquorie mentioned that while the brother is not currently under investigation for the October 26 incident, the inquiry remains active.
The search warrants detailed that eight Twisted Tea cans were located both in and around the crash site. Video footage from Rahlfs’ phone, recorded 10 to 15 minutes before the crash, allegedly depicted an open can in his car’s cup holder. Officers at the scene found a crushed can of Twisted Tea along with seven other cans nearby, some of which were open or punctured and empty.
Police said when they spoke to Rahlfs after the crash, they “immediately noticed he had extremely red and glassy eyes.” Despite police saying that they smelled alcohol on his breath, the teenager denied drinking or taking drugs before getting in the car, claiming that he only had a non-alcoholic energy drink. Rahlfs’ blood alcohol content was reportedly measured at 0.11.
Rahlfs’ next court date has not been made public.
