A Durham man is wanted by local law enforcement after an attempted break-in and burglary of an Orange County business, a high-speed chase and car crash during the early hours of Thursday, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
A release Thursday afternoon said the office took out six felony warrants against 24-year-old Erlin Lopez after he fled responding sheriff’s deputies during a business check along North Carolina Highway 86 in Hillsborough. According to the investigators, a business owner called 911 at 1:21 a.m. after he reported seeing someone breaking into his shop in the 3500 block on security cameras. Only one business has an address within that block: Blalock’s Towing & Recovery.
When Orange County Sheriff’s deputies arrived, they saw a silver Ford Focus quickly leave the block and speed north on the highway without lights on. As the deputies started a pursuit, the stolen vehicle crashed approximately 2.7 miles away and the driver — believed to be Lopez — fled the Ford Focus on foot. At 2:52 a.m., an OC Alert was issued to subscribed Orange County community members, warning of a Hispanic man wearing a gray hoodie and pajama pants involved in a breaking and entering incident. Investigators said, at that time, the suspect was last seen near U.S. 70 A and North Carolina Highway 86, with the sheriff’s office later adding that deputies executed a ground search with a K9 unit and a drone to no avail.
Lopez is charged with possession of burglary tools, possession of cocaine, fleeing to elude a law enforcement officer, breaking and/or entering, and possession of stolen motor vehicle.
While Lopez is still at large as of Thursday evening, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office said deputies arrested 22-year-old Kharla Aparicio — who was a passenger in the stolen car. Also a Durham resident, Aparicio faces charges of conspiring to commit felony larceny, felony possession of a Schedule II controlled substance (cocaine), and possession of burglary tools. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office said she is being held under a $20,000 secured bond at the county’s detention center and is scheduled to first appear in court on the charges Friday afternoon.
Thursday evening’s release said sheriff’s investigators found evidence that “suggests Lopez was bleeding heavily as he fled” law enforcement Thursday morning. Any community members who may have information on his whereabouts are encouraged to call 911 immediately and, if he is spotted, they are advised not to approach him.
Featured photo via the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
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