UNION COUNTY, N.C. — A Union County patrol car was struck by an impaired driver Tuesday off Lawyers Road, deputies said.
Lt. Matthew Winfrey with the Union County Sheriff’s Office said one of their deputies was responding to a crash when Noel Catarino Velasqueaz hit the deputy’s SUV on the rear passenger side and kept going.
Winfrey says they were able to catch up to him about a mile and a half away and conducted a traffic stop, during which Velasqueaz showed signs of impairment.
“It’s very clear, it’s very evident that this male driver was intoxicated,” he said. “He had red glassy eyes, he had a strong odor of alcohol coming from his breath as well as there was an open container inside of the vehicle.”
Deputies say Velasquez claimed he had the right to keep going because there was a green light, but there are no traffic lights in the area.
Velasqueaz was arrested and charged with hit and run property damage, driving while impaired, no liability insurance and open container. He was issued a $15,000 secured bond and is currently being held under an immigration detainer.
Winfrey said the deputy is ok, but it could have been worse.
A woman who lives next door to where the crash happened said people break traffic laws in the area regularly. She says she’s just happy the deputy was unharmed.
“They protect us every day,” she said. “I’m sorry for the family of the person that committed the crime, but he should not have ever left the scene.”
VIDEO: Car crashes into fence in NoDa, homeowner left with repair bill
©2026 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/LH3JSJEF3VBLRJLJQESEAG34AM.png)
