On Sunday, March 15, 2026, deputies with the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle for an equipment violation on Highway 16 South. The driver failed to stop, resulting in a vehicle pursuit that ended after deputies deployed stop sticks and disabled the vehicle.
The driver was taken into custody at the scene but refused to provide deputies with their name or identifying information. Through coordination with local and federal partners, the suspect was identified as Fernando Anthony Avalos, 34, from California.
Investigators determined Avalos was a fugitive wanted for numerous violent crimes in California and Nevada.
Los Angeles, California
• Attempted Murder (preset bond of $5,000,000)
Las Vegas, Nevada
• Escape by Felon Prisoner
• Child Abuse
• Two Counts of Domestic Battery
• Two Counts of Conspiracy to Commit Robbery
• Two Counts of Animal Cruelty
• Battery with Substantial Bodily Harm
• Residential Burglary
• Robbery
• Attempted Murder
• Burglary of a Motor Vehicle
• Attempted Burglary
• Tampering with an Electronic Monitoring Device
Catawba County Charges
Avalos was also charged by the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office with the following offenses:
• Felony Flee to Elude Arrest with a Motor Vehicle
• Driving Left of Center
• Failure to Maintain Lane Control
• Failure to Stop – Flashing Red Light
• Failure to Stop – Steady Red Light
• Illegal Parking
• Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
• Reckless Driving – Wanton Disregard
• Resist, Delay, or Obstruct an Officer
Avalos received no bond and remains in custody at the Catawba County Detention Facility pending extradition proceedings.
The Catawba County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the following agencies for their assistance:
• Newton Police Department
• North Carolina State Highway Patrol
• Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office
• Maiden Police Department
• Federal Bureau of Investigation
• U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Information Provided by:
Major Aaron Turk
Public Information Officer
Catawba County Sheriff’s Office
aturk@catawbacountync.gov