On Thursday, July 16, shortly after 10:40 p.m., Wilkesboro Police Officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle at the rest area located at 2121 E. US Highway 421. During the initial interaction, officers developed probable cause to arrest the two individuals in the vehicle. The individuals were removed from the vehicle and secured in the rear passenger compartment of the patrol vehicles while officers conducted a search of the vehicle.
While one subject was detained in a patrol vehicle, he began to experience a medical episode. Officers immediately began rendering aid and called for Wilkes County EMS. EMS responded and transported the subject to Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist-Wilkes. The individual was pronounced deceased at the hospital.
Due to the individual being detained prior to transport, this incident is classified as an in-custody death.
During the search of the subject’s vehicle, officers located and seized suspected illegal narcotics.
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) has been requested to assist and is the lead investigating agency in the case. As is standard procedure with an in-custody death, the Wilkesboro Police Department will conduct a separate internal but parallel investigation.