****UPDATE: An earlier press release incorrectly said two people were arrested. The story has since been updated to correctly reflect that information.****

Members of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office arrested three suspects in a drug bust on Thursday afternoon, seizing three and a half kilograms of heroin. One suspect was arrested following a pursuit on foot after causing a multi-vehicle collision on 15-501, leading to major delays along the thoroughfare.

A spokesperson for Orange County Sheriff’s Office said the office was assisting the Drug Enforcement Administration with an operation in the parking lot of Lowe’s Home Improvement in Chapel Hill. Two suspects were arrested on-scene, while another fled in his vehicle. With officers out of their cars, they were unable to pursue.

A release from the office said the suspect driving the vehicle caused several collisions while speeding toward Durham on 15-501, after he had crashed into other cars in the parking lot. Seven total vehicles sustained damage from the suspect, but authorities say no one was seriously injured.

“When a DEA agent travelling down 15-501 came upon the crash scenes,” the sheriff’s office said in a release, “the suspect was out of his vehicle and a civilian was chasing him. He gave directions to the DEA agent who then gave pursuit on foot. After approximately three quarters of a mile, a deputy with OCSO got ahead of the chase. He took the suspect into custody when the suspect emerged onto a private lane called White Oak Drive, about three quarters of a mile from the crash scene.”

Authorities charged Jose Gilberto Anzaldo Gonzalez, 25, with two counts of trafficking in heroin, assault with a deadly weapon on a government official, maintaining a vehicle for keeping and selling a controlled substance, conspiring to traffic in heroin, and possession with the intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver heroin. Jose Isabel Anzaldo Gonzalez, 24, and Everardo Herrera Lara, 29, were both charged with conspiring to traffic in heroin. All three are scheduled to appear in court Friday afternoon. All three suspects are held in the Orange County Detention Center under two and a half million dollar secured bonds.

OCSO Chief Deputy Jamison Sykes said in the release the impact on the Orange County community will be immense.

“We know that every 11 minutes, someone dies in the United States as the result of an opioid overdose,” he said. “One gram of heroin can kill a person. Thanks to the DEA, we were able to assist in the removal of 3500 grams of this drug from our community.”

The Sheriff’s Office began urging drivers to avoid 15-501 near the old Blue Cross Blue Shield building just before 2 p.m. as the accident was causing major delays on 15-501 northbound from Elliott Road to I-40, and southbound from I-40 to the site of the crash. Shortly after 3 p.m., Orange County Sheriff Charles Blackwood said the area was clear of crashed vehicles, but major delays still remained.

“Today’s events illustrate how far reaching the dangers of the drug trade are,” Blackwood said. “We are relieved no one suffered serious injuries. The matter is currently the subject of an ongoing investigation and more information will be released as it becomes available, including the identities of the suspects and the charges they face.”

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