Ewing Township police are searching for an ATV rider who, officers say, drove over a township police officer and sped off from a Princeton Avenue gas station on Sunday evening. The officer was taken to a nearby hospital with injuries described as non-life threatening, and the case has kicked off a manhunt in Mercer County as investigators work to put a name to the rider.
Police Say Rider Ran Over Officer While Gassing Up
According to the Township of Ewing Police Department, officers had been getting multiple calls about ATVs being driven recklessly around town on Sunday. At about 5:30 p.m., one officer approached a man who was trying to fuel an ATV at the Delta gas station at 1513 Princeton Avenue. Police say the rider hit the throttle, drove over the officer and took off from the scene, according to NBC10 Philadelphia.
Chase Cut Short Over Safety Concerns; Officer Hospitalized
Other responding officers briefly pursued the fleeing ATV but called off the chase, citing concerns for the safety of people in the surrounding neighborhood streets. The injured officer was rushed to a local hospital and treated for non-life threatening injuries. Ewing police have also released a photograph of the rider and say he is wanted on a charge of aggravated assault on a police officer, as reported by News 12 New Jersey.
Police Put Out Call For Tips
Ewing police are asking anyone who recognizes the rider, or who captured video or photos of what happened, to contact the department. Tipsters can call the main tip line at 609-882-1313 or use the anonymous tip line at 609-882-7530; the department also accepts emailed tips at [email protected]. Those contact options are listed by the department's detective bureau, according to the Ewing Police Department.
Incident Tied To Wider ATV Crackdown In Mercer County
The gas station confrontation is unfolding against a backdrop of heightened enforcement this spring against illegal ATVs and dirt bikes in Mercer County. Joint operations involving Trenton, Hamilton and New Jersey State Police have led to arrests, dozens of citations and multiple vehicle seizures. Officials say those crackdowns followed steady complaints from residents about riders tearing through neighborhood streets and near parks, according to News 12 New Jersey.
Legal Stakes For Suspect
Ewing police say the ATV rider is wanted on suspicion of aggravated assault on a police officer, an allegation that could lead to felony-level prosecution if charges are formally filed. Investigators are continuing to gather evidence and are again urging anyone with information to reach out through the tip lines or email listed above, according to NBC10 Philadelphia.
