Man arrested after ATV collision injures deputy, damages police vehicle

WILMINGTON, NC — A 32-year-old man was arrested Saturday night after an ATV crash in downtown Wilmington injured a law enforcement officer and damaged a police vehicle, according to Wilmington Police.

Officers and deputies from the Downtown Task Force spotted an ATV being driven recklessly near South Front and Dock streets around 10:45 p.m. A task force member attempted to stop the vehicle, which briefly paused.

When the deputy exited his vehicle to detain the driver, the ATV accelerated and struck the deputy before colliding with a Wilmington Police Department patrol car. The suspect, identified as Juawan Ferguson of Jacksonville, was taken into custody without further incident.

A firearm was found in Ferguson’s backpack. The injured deputy was transported to Novant Health NHRMC for treatment.

The New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, Wilmington Police Department, and North Carolina State Highway Patrol are jointly investigating the incident. Ferguson faces multiple charges, including felony assault on emergency personnel, felony speeding to elude arrest, reckless driving to endanger, and carrying a concealed weapon. He is held under a $250,000 secured bond.