Ashe County Sheriffs Office

05/06/2026

Road Closure Alert ⚠️

Big Windfall Road will be closed from 05/08/2026-05/20/2026.
Please see the image below for detour information.

05/06/2026

Join Sheriff Howell as he visits the Happy Time Show on the first Thursday of every month at 8:30. Tomorrow, we will be discussing the arrest of Jason Benfield, a traffic stop that ended with a boomer man being arrested on methamphetamine charges, and the Badges of Ashe annual car show.

See you there!

05/05/2026

Sheriff B. Phil Howell announces the arrest of 51-year-old Yohond Curtis McKeithan of Boomer, NC, for several methamphetamine trafficking and related charges following a joint investigation with the NCSBI.

In early 2026, Ashe County Sheriff’s Office Detectives and NCSBI Agents investigated McKeithan’s illegal drug activities. The investigation lasted for several weeks and yielded multiple methamphetamine seizures.

Please visit our website at hhttps://ashesheriff.com/traffic-stop-ends-with-methamphetamine-charges/ for the entire press release.

05/04/2026

This weekend!!!

05/04/2026

National Correctional Officer Week!!!

This week, we celebrate the brave men and women who serve on the front lines of public safety in our prisons and jails. We want to say a big THANK YOU to each one who puts on the uniform and works hard every day.

To every correctional officer of the Ashe County Sheriff's Office Detention Center, THANK YOU!. Your dedication and commitment to keeping our detention center safe and running smoothly does not go unnoticed. We are grateful for all you do each and every day!

05/01/2026

Ashe County High School Hiring Fair

The Ashe County High School held its annual student career and hiring fair yesterday. We are always so excited to see all the students and be part of this event. We had a lot of questions and interest this year about students joining the Law Enforcement Community for their future. We want to thank the Ashe County High School for inviting us to be part of this special event.

04/28/2026

Remembering Logan Fox and Chris Ward for being true heroes.

🚔 FIVE YEARS AGO TODAY — APRIL 28, 2021

On the morning of April 28, 2021, at 9:44 a.m., the Watauga County Sheriff's Office responded to a welfare check at 553 Hardaman Circle in Boone. A homeowner's employer had called to report the homeowner had not come to work and was not answering the phone.

When deputies arrived and found all vehicles still on the property, they entered the home — and were met with gunfire from an unknown individual inside.

K-9 Deputy Logan Fox was killed at the scene. Sergeant Chris Ward was extracted from the home and flown to Johnson City Medical Center, where he later died from his injuries. The homeowners — Michelle Ligon, 61, and George Ligon, 58 — were also found dead at the scene.

A hours-long standoff followed. Law enforcement from agencies across the region surrounded the residence, evacuating nearby neighbors and establishing a perimeter. The standoff ended shortly before 11 p.m. Isaac Alton Barnes, 32 — the son and stepson of Michelle and George Ligon — was identified as responsible for the deaths of all four. Barnes died at the scene.

It was one of the darkest days in Watauga County's history.

WataugaOnline remembers the four fallen and their lasting impact on our community and beyond.

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K-9 Deputy Logan Fox, age 25, was a two-year veteran of the Watauga County Sheriff's Office and the handler of WCSO K-9 "Raven." Before joining the WCSO, he served as a full-time deputy with the Ashe County Sheriff's Office. Serving as a K-9 officer was his true passion.

Sergeant Chris Ward, age 36, was an eight-year law enforcement veteran. He began his career at the Beech Mountain Police Department before joining the Watauga County Sheriff's Office, where he was promoted to Sergeant. He was married to his high school sweetheart and was a father of two.

Michelle Ligon, 61, devoted more than 20 years to marketing and promoting Boone and the High Country. She served as Director of Public Relations and Social Media at Explore Boone (Watauga County TDA). She and George were widely known for their generous support of local organizations.

George Ligon, 58, was a long-time manager — more than 20 years — at the local Terminix branch. He and Michelle were pillars of the Boone community who quietly gave back in countless ways.

04/28/2026

Road Closure Alert!!!

Dogget Rd in West Jefferson will be closed from 05/11/26 - 06/26/26 to replace a large culvert. Please use US 221 Business to NC 88 to Dogget.

04/27/2026

JOIN OUR TEAM!!!

The Ashe County Sheriff's Office is hiring Detention Officers. Please see the flyer for more details. There are several ways to apply for this position:

Visit www.bit.ly/acso_employ -
Visit the Sheriff’s Office in person to pick up an application-
Apply online @ https://bit.ly/ACSOindeed

If you have any questions, you can call 336-846-5611.

04/22/2026

Hurricane Helene 911 Dispatch Coin Pre-order

Deadline is Sunday April 26th if anyone is interested!

Visit www.bit.ly/boa911coin to get one pre-ordered.

All proceeds go directly to the non-profit Badges of Ashe.