Surveillance spots drug deal; pursuit leads to crash

A narcotics investigation and ensuing pursuit led to a car crash Tuesday on Rockford Street near the intersection of U.S. Highway 52 in front of Wendy’s.

The wreck snarled traffic, with a platoon of police cars and first responders lining the far right lane of Rockford Street in the southbound direction as the car that had been chased collided with and wrapped itself around a tree.

Following the crash the driver, identified as Ernesto Olascoago, a 39 year-old Hispanic male from Dobson, was transported by Surry County EMS to Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Hospital. His status as of Wednesday afternoon was listed as critical.

Members of the Surry County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division along with aid from the Mount Airy Police Department and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation were conducting surveillance Tuesday evening at 6:26 p.m.

In the course of their surveillance, Surry County Sherrif’s Detectives observed an illegal narcotics transaction.

Detectives attempted to stop a burgundy Chevrolet Camaro during an interdiction stop that resulted in a police chase. The pursuit concluded when the vehicle left the roadway, striking a tree, in front of Wendy’s on Rockford Street.

The Mount Airy Police Department remains involved at this time as officials there are investigating the motor vehicle accident. There was only one vehicle involved in the crash that remained in the natural barrier between Wendy’s and Rockford Street Tuesday evening shortly after sunset. There was no additional information on how many law enforcement units were in pursuit of Olascoago at the time of the crash.

While the car was totaled by its impact with the tree, detectives were still able to conduct a search before the vehicle was removed. They found large quantities, including trafficking amounts, of illegal narcotics including controlled prescription drugs, marijuana, methamphetamine, and the potentially lethal fentanyl.

Duke Energy also responded to the scene of the accident, attending to a nearby utility pole. It was not clear if there was damage to the pole or if there was an interruption of service due to the accident.

The Surry County Sheriff’s Office said the incident is still an active investigation, as is the accident itself. More information will be released as it becomes available.