Illegal immigrant leads officer on chase (Hendersonville Times-News)

Illegal immigrant leads officer on chase

By Mark Schulman
Times-News Staff Writer

Published: Thursday, February 19, 2009 at 4:30 a.m.

An illegal immigrant wanted for deportation led a Hendersonville police officer on a chase at speeds reaching more than 135 mph Tuesday night before wrecking his vehicle. Police also found several pounds of marijuana in the car.

The suspect, Luis Zapata-Lara, 23, was charged with felony possession of marijuana, fleeing to elude arrest, reckless driving to endanger and at least six other charges and violations by the Hendersonville Police Department.

The pursuit began after Sgt. Brandon McGaha saw a silver Ford Mustang with an illegitimate license plate leaving the Triangle Stop on Upward Road at about 11:39 p.m.

McGaha followed the vehicle onto I-26 westbound and stopped Zapata-Lara, who then sped off with McGaha in pursuit, reaching speeds exceeding 135 mph.

The suspect tossed two packages out of the window. One was destroyed by a tractor-trailer, but the other was recovered by the N.C. Highway Patrol.

The driver of the Mustang took the U.S. 64 East ramp toward Bat Cave, ran through intersections along U.S. 64 and ran through a red light going about 105 mph, McGaha said.

The suspect then lost control and spun out about six times before regaining control of the vehicle, cutting through a yard. He gunned it once again back onto U.S. 64, then ran through the backyards of two abandoned homes on Thompson Road near Fruitland Road.

The chase ended after the suspect crashed the sports car in a thicket beside a vacant house.

No one was injured. Zapata-Lara surrendered after the wreck.

The suspect is an illegal immigrant with two prior deportation violations. The Sheriff’s Office also has record of an immigration violation.

Other charges stemming from Tuesday night’s chase were possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana, felony maintaining a vehicle with purpose of having a controlled substance, two counts of speeding at 135 mph in a 65 mph zone, one count of speeding at 105 mph in a 35 mph zone, resisting arrest and one red light violation.

Zapata-Lara is being held in the Henderson County Detention Center under $26,000 bond.

Henderson County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the chase and the N.C. State Highway Patrol assisted in recovering the drugs.