A driver accused of wrecking his car on Deer Track Lane in Union County tried to disappear before deputies arrived — but he didn't get far. Daniel Gómez Espinoza was found hiding inside a coat closet at a nearby home, according to authorities, after a crash that sent his vehicle off the road, into a ditch, over a driveway, and rolling onto someone's property.
According to the Union County Sheriff's Office, deputies responded to the vehicle crash on Deer Track Lane and found that the driver had already left the scene. Investigators located items from the wreck that led them directly to a nearby home, as reported by WBTV. That trail ended with deputies finding Gómez Espinoza hiding inside a coat closet in a home on Deer Track Lane.
The station reports that the sheriff's office said Gómez Espinoza was allegedly driving while impaired when his vehicle ran off the road, struck a ditch, jumped a driveway, and rolled over onto the nearby property. A Spanish-language account from Qué Pasa Media likewise notes that the driver was no longer at the scene when deputies arrived, confirming the account that he had fled before authorities showed up.
Seven Charges Filed Against Gómez Espinoza
Gómez Espinoza was arrested and transported to jail, where he now faces seven charges tied to the crash and his driving, per the same outlet's report. He was charged with driving while impaired, leaving the scene of the accident, and failing to report the crash.
The charges don't stop there. He was also charged with reckless driving to endanger, driving without a license, failing to wear a seatbelt, and failing to maintain lane control, according to Qué Pasa Media's report. Together, the seven counts paint a picture of a chaotic sequence of events that began with the crash and ended with deputies pulling him out of a closet.
Bond Set at $5,000, Suspect Still Held
Following the arrest, Gómez Espinoza was given a secured bond of $5,000, the sheriff's office said. He remained in custody as of publication, according to the same report from Qué Pasa Media.
The Union County Sheriff's Office, based in North Carolina, shared the arrest notification identifying Gómez Espinoza on its Facebook page under the headline “Deer Track Lane Crash Ends in Arrest.” No information on injuries, the extent of property damage, or the identity of the homeowner where he was found has been released.
