ASHEBORO NC – Hopes were high in 2019 when the property at 827 Albemarle Rd in Asheboro was purchased by Asheboro Hospitality 6 LLC for $2.3 million and renovations began to turn the location into a new Motel 6 chain.
“We were excited when the property was rehabbed after so many years of sitting empty,” said Asheboro Mayor David Smith. Several years later the Motel 6 location has become a physical embodiment of the drug and crime problem that has plagued Randolph County.
Our investigation began on Friday, August 25th, 2021, when just after 11 AM, police, fire, and EMS crews were called to the motel for a report of a cardiac arrest. The patient, found in a room at the motel, was pronounced dead on scene.
The Asheboro Police Department says they are investigating the death as an overdose and the department’s Vice/Narcotics team was called to the scene to help assist with the investigation.
We found that the 911 call for the cardiac arrest on August 25th, was the 239th incident at the Motel 6 in 2021. Randolph County 911 records show that between January 1st and August 25th, 2021, police and emergency crews responded to a total of 240 calls at the Motel 6 in Asheboro.
That includes 28 trespassing calls, 23 drug violations, 20 family fights, 16 welfare checks, 14 medical calls, 11 assaults, 8 overdoses, as well as for calls about prostitution and rape.
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To put those numbers in context we looked at the number of 911 calls for motels and hotels in Asheboro with a similar cost per night. We found that the Motel 6 has almost twice the number of 911 calls so far this year as the Econo Lodge located nearby on the other side of W Dixie Dr, and almost ten times the number of 911 calls as the Surestay Plus near Hwy 42 near the Randolph Mall.
“Those numbers are certainly disappointing,” said Asheboro Mayor David Smith in an email. “Unfortunately, it is putting an unnecessary burden on our emergency services. I think renting to local citizens in an “extended stay” situation may be the problem.”
While we were working on this story, a second fatal overdose occurred. On Sunday, September 5th, 2021, Asheboro Police responded with fire and EMS crews to a suspected overdose. The patient in that incident was later pronounced dead. According to Maj. Jay Hanson with the Asheboro Police Department, “evidence discovered at the scene and information obtained from interviews has pointed to this being a drug overdose and they are handling the investigation as such.”
The Asheboro Police Department says they are aware of the on-going issues at the motel and their vice and narcotics team has focused efforts on the business. In an email Randolph County District Attorney Gregson says that his office is “in communication with the Asheboro Police Department about this issue and [are] considering our options.”
A spokesperson for Motel 6 said in a statement that the chain is committed to creating a safe environment and that they follow a process to work with hotels to bring them into compliance with the Motel 6 operational standards. That process can involve issuing a default notice and/or implementing a property improvement plan. “When these approaches don’t work, we will terminate the contract and remove the hotel from the system.”
“Motel 6 is committed to creating a safe environment and positive experience for our guests. The safety and well-being of our guests, our team members, and the communities in which we operate is our top priority. On an ongoing basis, we review our portfolio of independently operated locations to ensure they are in compliance with our operational standards.”
Spokesperson from Motel 6
In an email a spokesperson for Motel 6 was not able answer if any steps had been taken to bring the Asheboro location into compliance because they are not able to share confidential information about this specific franchise.
We attempted to reach out to the managing member for Asheboro Hospitality 6 LLC, (the company that owns the property and franchise), but they did not respond to requests for comment.