ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — A fatal crash, embezzlement, breaking and entering and missing person cases have kept area law enforcement officers busy.
Asheville Police Department
FATAL CRASH: Asheville police are investigating a collision that killed a motorcycle driver Tuesday evening in south Asheville. Officers responded to the collision near the 51-mile marker on Interstate 40 East around 8:10 p.m. Feb. 4. The preliminary investigation indicated a 2023 Harley Davidson three-wheeled motorcycle, operated by Richard William Walker, 80, entered I-40 East, traveling westbound in the wrong direction. The motorcycle then collided with a semi-tractor trailer traveling eastbound. Walker was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into the collision is continuing. Anyone with information about the crash is asked to contact APD at 828-252-1110. Anonymous tips may also be sent by texting TIP2APD to 847411 or by using the TIP2APD smartphone application (search “Asheville PD” in your app store).
NEW LOGO: The Asheville Police Department took to Facebook to address misinformation it said was circulating on social media. The patrol cruiser above is NOT an ICE vehicle, the post said. As part of the Asheville Police Department’s 150th anniversary, a few cruisers are featuring a vintage design inspired by APD patrol cars from decades past. As part of this milestone, the APD reintroduced historic patrol car designs, commemorative badges and a history book to honor the department’s history and service to the Asheville community.
Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office
INFORMATION SOUGHT: Detectives with the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office are attempting to identify the man pictured above and are seeking any information about his connection to a breaking and entering in Swannanoa. The man was caught on camera in the area of Bee Meadow Circle in Swannanoa during the time of the break-in. Anyone with any information is asked to contact Detective Michelle Corn at 828-250-4619.
MISSING PERSON: The Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office is attempting to locate a missing woman from the Asheville area. Sadie Tolley, 29, was last seen leaving the residence where she was staying on Jan. 9, 2025. Tolley has been known to frequent Pisgah View and Deaverview in Asheville and Hickory. She has green eyes and brown hair. She is about 5 feet, 4 inches tall. Anyone with information about her whereabouts is asked to call 911 or 828-250-6670.
Henderson County Sheriff’s Office
EMBEZZLEMENT: In March 2024, the Criminal Investigations Division Property Crimes Unit received a report of embezzlement from a local youth sports league. The extensive financial investigation resulted in an arrest warrant for Rodolfo Dejesus Chacon, 56, of, Arden, on embezzlement charges. On Thursday, the U.S. Marshals Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested Chacon in Buncombe County. He was taken before a magistrate and issued a $20,000 secured bond.
BREAKING AND ENTERING: In January, the Criminal Investigations Division Property Crimes Unit investigated three separate cases related to three cases involving break-ins. Detectives recovered stolen property, including a motor vehicle, leading to arrest warrants for Christopher Michael Case, 45, of East Flat Rock. Case was charged with two counts of felony break and/or entering, felony larceny after breaking/entering, break and/or entering a motor vehicle, felony larceny of a motor vehicle and two counts of possession of stolen goods. He appeared before a magistrate, who issued a secured bond set at $46,000.
INDECENT LIBERTIES: A 56-year-old man was arrested last week and charged with one count of indecent liberties with a child. Bradley Scott Mast appeared before a magistrate, who issued a secured bond set at $25,000.
“The Major Crimes Unit is committed to ensuring the safety of all children in Henderson County and will continue to remain vigilant. We encourage anyone with additional information regarding Bradley Scott Mast to contact our office or use the “submit a tip” feature available on our mobile app,” the Facebook post said.
Mitchell County Sheriff’s Office
STOLEN PACKAGES: The sheriff’s office is urging local residents to take extra care with packages. There has been a report of packages being stolen in the Buladean community. These packages were lying near the mailbox of the victims. The area hit was on Broad Branch Road, the social media post said.
ARREST REPORT:
Noah Daniel Garrett, 27, of Conover, was arrested in Catawba County on a Mitchell County warrant and charged with obtaining property false pretense. Bond was set at $25,000.
Robert Bruce Hileman, 33, of Spruce Pine, was charged with misdemeanor assault by pointing a gun, misdemeanor larceny and extradition warrants issued by the state of Virginia. He was issued a secured bond and placed on a hold, pending extradition to Virginia.
Burnsville Police Department
BREAKING AND ENTERING: On Jan. 18, 2025, officers responded to a reported breaking and entering with larceny. Upon arrival, officers met with the victim who had just returned home and found someone had broken into her house and she believed her neighbor’s house had been broken into, as well. The neighbor’s house was subsequently checked and had been broken into but nothing was found to be missing there.
While the officers were taking a report from the victim, the Yancey County Sheriff’s Office received a call about a suspicious woman near the area just outside town limits. A deputy found the woman and identified her as Amanda Laws.
Officers investigating the break-in had checked Laws on a previous suspicious person call in a different but nearby area just a few hours earlier. Burnsville officers asked the responding deputy if he would check to see if Laws had any of the items reported stolen with her.
According to the social media post, Burnsville officers met with the deputies and Laws admitted to breaking into the two homes. The victim was called to the scene to identify her property and it was returned to her at the time.
Laws was arrested and charged with two counts of felony breaking and entering, two counts of felony larceny, possession of stolen property and simple possession of Schedule IV.