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.
Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.
Related Stories
‹
Man Arrested, Charged with Murder in Fatal Hillsborough ShootingOne man has been arrested and charged by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office for the murder of James Otis Kithcart back in November. At the request of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the US Marshals Joint Fugitive Task Force apprehended Julius Evans Jr. on Friday. Investigators charged Evans with first degree murder and the possession of a […]
Hillsborough Break-In Suspect Arrested After Chase, CrashAn early morning chase and subsequent crash resulted in an arrest in connection with two attempted home break-ins in Hillsborough over the weekend. Authorities said in a release that Hillsborough Police officers responded to a breaking and entering reported around 3 a.m. Saturday in the Cornwallis Hills neighborhood in southern Hillsborough. A second attempted breaking […]
Orange County Sheriff: Suspect Captured in Stabbing Death of Hillsborough WomanOrange County Sheriff’s Office says it has taken 53-year-old Matthew Jared Vukmer into custody. Vukmer is charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing death of 54-year-old Paula Floyd at Vukmer’s Hillsborough home Friday morning. The sheriff’s office says an investigator working with the U.S. Marshals Carolina Regional Fugitive Task Force and the Capital Area […]
Wild Vehicle Pursuit Leaves 2 Orange County Sheriff's Cars Damaged, 2 Charged for Drug PossessionA cross-county vehicle pursuit on Wednesday resulted in two Durham residents facing several felony changes, as well as a pair of damaged Orange County Sheriff's vehicles and Alamance County properties.
Traffic Stop by Orange County Sheriff's Deputy Leads to Drug Trafficking ChargesA traffic stop near Hillsborough on Saturday led to an arrest on drug trafficking charges and the seizure of dozens of grams of cocaine.
Sheriff's Office: Moving Truck Hit and Run in Hillsborough Ends With Dramatic Chase, Stop in GreensboroA Virginia man faces several charges in North Carolina after an extensive vehicle pursuit that began with a hit-and-run case in Orange County. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office shared a release on Monday afternoon detailing the incident from Sunday night. Law enforcement officials were dispatched at 10:20 p.m. to help the Hillsborough Police Department with […]
Police: Woman Fights Off Attempted Armed Robbery at Hillsborough Gas StationOfficers from the Hillsborough Police Department and deputies from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office responded to an attempted armed robbery at a BP service station in Hillsborough Friday. Police say a woman was pumping gas at the station on Cardinal Drive when she noticed a man watching her near the dumpsters. After finishing pumping gas, […]
Orange County Sheriff's Office Details String of Break-Ins, Larceny Charges Against 2 TeenagersThe Orange County Sheriff's Office formally announced criminal charges against a pair of 18-year-olds for a string of break-ins in November.
Pair of Crashes Cause Significant Traffic, Emergency Responses in Orange County on FridayAs people are starting their travels for the Labor Day weekend, those around Hillsborough are experiencing significant traffic delays from separate crashes. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office alerted drivers to a crash along Interstate 85 near the county line with Durham just before 1 p.m. on Friday, sharing an aerial photo of a tractor trailer […]
Orange County Sheriff's Office: 1 Arrested, 1 At Large After Attempted BurglaryA 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 […]
›
