ASHE COUNTY, N.C. — A man died during an attempted arrest in Ashe County early Friday, deputies said.
The Ashe County Sheriff's Office attempted to stop a motorcycle a few minutes before 1 a.m. The motorcyclist, identified as 48-year-old Stuart Chad Mast, allegedly refused to stop when deputies turned on their blue lights. Mast eventually stopped near Sheets Bridge.
Deputies allege that Mast refused to comply with verbal orders to get off the motorcycle and lie on the ground. This led to an alleged fight between Mast and at least one of the deputies. Mast was eventually placed in handcuffs but lost consciousness.
Deputies began life-saving measures, including giving Mast two doses of Narcan, a drug used to reverse the effects of an overdose. Mast was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. One of the deputies was taken to the hospital and released. Two others had minor injuries, according to the sheriff's office.
A 2022 news release from the sheriff's office confirmed Mast had previously been arrested and charged with possession of methamphetamine as well as three traffic-related charges. It's important to note, though, the sheriff's office has not provided any information on any substances found on Mast during the recent attempted arrest during which he lost consciousness.
An anonymous person who said they were Mast's best friend told WCNC Charlotte he was "compassionate and intelligent" and they felt his death could have been avoided, saying "Chad still had a lot of life to live."
His family shared a statement with WCNC Charlotte, saying in part:
"Chad may have had a history, but he was alive before this encounter with law enforcement. He was unarmed, had no history of violence towards law enforcement, and lost his life over a minor traffic violation—riding a motorcycle without a tag. We recognize that every situation has multiple perspectives, but the lack of transparency from law enforcement, coupled with the inconsistencies in their accounts, is deeply troubling to our family.
We are simply asking for the truth, not rumors or speculation. Chad was a kind person who didn’t bother anyone. While he didn’t have a wife or children, he had a family who loved him, and we will not stop seeking answers until we understand what really happened that night."
Candace Cox, Mast's niece, spoke with WCNC Charlotte reporter Anna King, saying she feels the family should have had an opportunity to see his body.
“[They] took it and sent it for an autopsy but I had to call the sheriff’s office to figure out where his body was," Cox said. "No medical examiner has even called us.”
Cox also said she would be interested in seeing body camera footage of the incident, but has not been contacted to do so.
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is looking into the incident. No further details were released.
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