Laying drag inside abandoned Forsyth County building leads to 8 arrests

Top row, from left: Emmanuel Castro, Andy Garcia, Anthony Garcia, Valerie Haim. Bottom row: Alan Hernandez-Salamanca, Michael Pratt, Khalil Saleh

Credit: Forsyth County Sheriff's Office

Credit: Forsyth County Sheriff's Office

Top row, from left: Emmanuel Castro, Andy Garcia, Anthony Garcia, Valerie Haim. Bottom row: Alan Hernandez-Salamanca, Michael Pratt, Khalil Saleh

Eight people were arrested Monday night after a Forsyth County deputy went into an abandoned building and saw multiple cars laying drag.

The suspects each face several charges, including second-degree burglary and criminal damage to property.

The incident happened at a facility on Corporate Court, Forsyth sheriff’s office spokeswoman Stacie Miller said. Several criminal damage reports had already been filed due to multiple incidents of people going into the buildings, drifting their cars and doing burnouts, she said.

A Forsyth deputy was working an off-duty assignment nearby when he spotted four cars enter the property Monday, officials said. He went into the building and came into contact with the cars, Miller said.

“The smell of burning rubber was in the air and fresh rubber was laid down on the floor throughout  the building,” Miller said.

The cars involved were impounded and the suspects were taken into custody. They were identified as Andy Garcia, 19, of Alpharetta; Khalil Saleh, 19, of Alpharetta; Michael Pratt, 20, of Alpharetta; Alan Hernandez-Salamanca, 19, of Roswell; Anthony Garcia, 18, of Roswell; Emmanuel Castro, 18, of Alpharetta; Valerie Haim, 19, of Alpharetta; and an unnamed juvenile.

In addition to burglary and property damage, Garcia and Hernandez-Salamanca are also charged with reckless driving and laying drag. Pratt faces additional charges of possession of marijuana, possession of a schedule IV controlled substance and possession of a schedule I controlled substance.

They were booked into the Forsyth County Jail.

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