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ROWAN COUNTY, N.C. — An ATV driver purposefully hit a North Carolina state trooper who was trying to pull him over, according to State Highway Patrol.

Sgt. Michael Baker said it happened at about 2 a.m. Saturday after the trooper tried to pull the suspect over in a subdivision in China Grove.

The state trooper said he saw two all-terrain vehicles on N.C. 153 within the travel lanes and tried to pull over the operators.

The trooper put his lights on and the ATVs pulled into a China Grove neighborhood. Then, the trooper got out of his vehicle to approach the four wheelers.

One of the operators intentionally drove toward the trooper at a high rate of speed, striking him, according to authorities.

The operator then turned around and tried to strike the trooper a second time. At that point, the trooper fired his service weapon, causing both operators to flee the scene.

The trooper received serious but non-life threatening injuries and was taken to Carolinas Medical Center-Northeast in Concord.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with any information can call the Highway Patrol Communications Center at (800) 233-3151.

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