Last Updated on May 15, 2025 1:16 pm
Today, the Ashe County Sheriff's Office is providing a critical update regarding the traffic stop thatoccurred on September 13th, 2024, and the recent findings by the Grand Jury. This update is sharedwith the deepest respect for our community.
Since the incident, our office has refrained from public comment to allow the North Carolina StateBureau of Investigation (SBI) and the District Attorney's Office to conduct a thorough and unbiasedinvestigation. Sheriff Phil Howell promptly requested that the SBI take over the scene and take fullinvestigative responsibility. Body-worn camera video was immediately turned over to the SBI forevidentiary value. N.C.G.S. § 132-1.4A(c) states that “Recordings depicting a death or seriousbodily injury shall only be disclosed as provided in subsections (b]) through (b3) of this section”(which subsections require a court order). Both disclosure (viewing) and release may be limited to aSuperior Court judge's order since it appears that the recording may depict serious bodily injury ordeath. Therefore, the release of the bodycam footage was held until a Superior Court judge made a
Mr. Mast was already the subject of ongoing investigations, one involving methamphetaminedistribution. On September 11th, 2024, the Narcotics Division received information that Mr. Masthad left Ashe County to obtain illegal narcotics with the intention of distributing them locally. Basedon this information, our patrol division planned to initiate a traffic stop if Mast was observedoperating a motor vehicle and in violation of traffic laws.
“We recognize and do not condone the inappropriate language used by officers during theencounter. However, there is no apparent correlation that the language used played a role inMr. Mast's death. The autopsy conducted by the NC Office of the Chief Medical Examineridentified 13 contributing factors, the foremost being the rapid inflation of a n air vest worn byMr. Mast. As stated in the autopsy, “The cause of asphyxia in this death is multifactorial, andthe death was complicated by the methamphetamine a n d the pre-existing heart disease,however, the death occurred during a physical altercation with other(s). The manner ofdeath, therefore, is classified as homicide.”
The case was presented in full to the Grand Jury by the District Attorney's Office. Expert witnesses,including personnel from the Medical Examiner's Office and the SBI, provided testimony, andGrand Jury members reviewed body camera footage. After reviewing all evidence, the Grand Juryrendered a “no true bill” decision on April 28th, 2025, meaning they declined to bring chargesagainst the officers involved.
The encounter began when deputies conducting passive patrol at Highway 16 and Highway 221Intersection observed a motorcycle without a license plateonly a piece of cardboard marked“notatag” with a sharpie marker. The motorcycle fled when deputies attempted a traffic stop on thehighway in front of the Corner Market gas station. The pursuit ended approximately 3.3 miles later.just before Sheets Bridge, when a rolling roadblock was administered on Highway 16 south.
Deputy Bledsoe conducted a felony traffic stop and began giving verbal commands with his dutyweapon drawn. After multiple attempts to ask Mast to “get off the bike”, Deputy Bledsoe holsteredhis firearm, took Mast by his arm, and removed him in an attempt to effect the arrest. Unbeknownstto deputies at the time, Mr. Mast was wearing an inflatable vest, which inflated as he stepped off themotorcycle. During the resulting struggle, Mr. Mast landed seated on the ground, with DeputyBledsoe briefly on top of him as Deputy Call attempted to place him in handcuffs from behind. Soonafter, deputies noticed Mr. Mast had lost consciousness.
Deputies immediately began administering life-saving measures. They removed his helmet andhandcuffs, initiated CPR, and administered two doses of Narcan. An Automated ExternalDefibrillator (AFI) was also used but did not advise a shock . Deputies continued resuscitationefforts until medics arrived. Deputy Call was transported to Ashe Memorial Hospital and was laterreleased. The officers were put on administrative leave following the incident.
“As Sheriff, I understand that our silence over the past months may have been misinterpretedas indifference to the Mast family. That could not be further from the truth. This case wasturned over to the NC SBI to ensure an impartial investigation. The Sheriff's Office had no rolein the SBI's findings or the Grand Jury's decision.
We are not sharing these details to diminish anyone's pain, but to clarify the facts. We haveprayed for Mr. Mast's family and our deputies. I also want to thank the staff of the Sheriff'sOffice who have faced unimaginable hate. including a flood of abusive and threatening callsto our 911 Dispatch Center and the entire Sheriff's Office. These calls came from across thecountry, not our community, and included deeply disturbing messages directed at our staff andtheir families-malevolent threats of extremely disturbing acts of sexual violence. We haveeen the worst in humanity during this, so much hatred and accusations. I will be praying forthem, the Ashe County community, and all the families involved.
My prayer is for healing-for the Mast family, our deputies, their loved ones, and the entireAshe County community. We are all grieving in different ways. My hope is that we will all healtogether.” – Sheriff B. Phil Howell