A routine traffic stop on NC-55 in Cary reportedly turned chaotic when police say a Durham man tried to drag two officers with his car. Damian Charles Awkward now faces seven charges, including two counts of assaulting a government official with a deadly weapon, felony possession of cocaine, misdemeanor resisting a public officer, and misdemeanor possession of marijuana.
What police documents say
Court records and an arrest warrant state the encounter happened on Tuesday. Officers reported reaching into Awkward’s vehicle, at which point he allegedly tried to put the car in gear while one officer was still standing at the driver’s door. In the warrant, an officer wrote that Awkward was “attempting to place the vehicle in drive to strike or drag me.” Records say he was driving a 2023 Toyota Corolla on NC-55. Awkward is scheduled for a first appearance at 1:30 p.m. in Wake County Court, as reported by WRAL.
How state law treats assaults on officers
Under North Carolina law, an assault on a government official involving a deadly weapon can be prosecuted as a felony, and related statutes include enhanced penalties when the target is an officer or emergency worker. The classification and possible sentence depend on factors such as intent and whether serious injury occurred. Those distinctions are laid out in state statute, according to the North Carolina General Assembly.
What’s next
Authorities have not publicly said whether the officers were injured or if a pursuit followed. According to WRAL, the station has reached out to Cary police and has not yet received a response. Prosecutors have filed the seven-count complaint, and the case will move through Wake County court for initial proceedings and any bond hearings. This story will be updated as officials release more information or file new court documents.
