ROWAN COUNTY, N.C. — Rowan County Sheriff Travis Allen assisted in the apprehension of an unauthorized immigrant following a vehicle pursuit on July 21 along Highway 70.
Sheriff Allen noticed a silver Pontiac driving erratically on Highway 70 near Barber Junction Road, with the driver appearing to hold an open beer can.
When Allen attempted to initiate a traffic stop, the vehicle did not stop and continued at speeds of 50 to 55 mph before pulling into a local business parking lot. The driver then fled on foot into a wooded area.
Deputies from the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, along with two K-9 units, responded to the scene and located the suspect hiding in a swamp within the wooded area.
The suspect was transported to the Sheriff’s Office, where he was initially deceptive about his identity and unable to produce identification.
During the booking process, the suspect was identified as Galindo Rodriguez Estrada through fingerprinting. Estrada was charged with open container, resisting a public officer, and failure to maintain lane control.
He was placed in the Rowan County Detention Center under a $50,000 secured bond.
On Tuesday, an agent with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement interviewed Estrada, resulting in an ICE detainer being issued.
This detainer allows the detention center to hold Estrada for up to 48 hours beyond his release date to enable ICE to potentially take him into federal custody for removal purposes.
