Robert Lee Armentrout dies in fatal Swannanoa pedestrian crash

Robert Lee Armentrout dies in fatal Swannanoa pedestrian crash

Fatal Swannanoa pedestrian crash death of Robert Lee Armentrout – Obituary

Robert Lee Armentrout, 56, of Hendersonville, lost his life in a tragic accident on U.S. 70 in Swannanoa on the evening of May 21, 2025. According to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, Armentrout entered the roadway and was struck by a 2014 Jeep Patriot driven by Caroline Elizabeth Laliberte of Asheville.

Emergency responders from Swannanoa Fire & Rescue arrived at the scene shortly after 9:18 p.m., but Armentrout was declared dead on-site. Following the collision, Laliberte initially fled but later contacted authorities and cooperated with law enforcement.

She was subsequently arrested and charged with felony hit-and-run causing serious injury or death. Laliberte remains in custody at the Buncombe County Detention Facility, held on a $30,000 bond.

Traffic on U.S. 70 was temporarily halted while crews managed the scene, with all lanes reopening by 11:13 p.m.