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RALEIGH — A High Point gas station has been subpoenaed by the N.C. Attorney General's office as part of an investigation into possible price gouging.

Grand Central Express at 2174 Surrett Drive is one of seven gas station companies that reportedly sold gas for more than $5.49 a gallon. Other subpoenaed stations are in Anson, Ashe, Cherokee, Montgomery, Stanly and Transylvania counties.

But they won't be the last to hear from the attorney general's office.

"We wanted to start quickly. We wanted to get the message out that we were going to investigate these," Attorney General Roy Cooper said during a press conference this afternoon. "There will be additional subpoenas to additional retailers in the next few days."

The initial wave of subpoenas represents the first action taken under a new law designed to prevent price gouging during an abnormal market disruption. Under the law, the attorney general's office can investigate goods sold for unreasonably excessive prices under the circumstances.

More than 2,500 people reported instances of price gouging to the attorney general's office over the weekend.

The six other gas retailers whose owners and registered agents received subpoenas:

* Quik Check at four locations in Troy, one in Oakboro, and one in Locust

* Corner Market in Jefferson and Mike's Community Mart and Car Washin in West Jefferson

* Big D Convenience Food Store in Murphy

* Jarrett's in Rosman

* C's in Mount Gilead

* Whit's Convenience Store in Lilesville and Polkton

Meanwhile, average gas prices in North Carolina rose to record levels today in the wake of Hurricane Ike.

The
state's average price was $4.085 per gallon for regular unleaded gas,
up from an average price of $3.973 on Sunday, according to AAA's Daily
Fuel Gauge Report.

In the Greensboro-Winston-Salem-High Point
area, the average was $4.106 for regular unleaded gas, up from $3.982
on Sunday. Today's average is also a record in the Triad, according to
the report.