Salisbury man arrested after fleeing from police on ATV

SALISBURY, Md. – A Salisbury man was arrested on Thursday after police say he fled on an ATV and crashed it on Thursday.

Deputies reportedly saw a man riding an ATV on its rear wheels (wheelie) in the area of West Isabella and North Division Street. While trying to safely approach the man, identified as 30-year-old Denzel Johnson, police say he committed several serious traffic violations, including failing to stop for a red light and holding up traffic while riding the ATV on its rear wheels through an intersection. Johnson also allegedly made an illegal U-turn in the intersection, and drove up onto the sidewalk and through the park on the northwest corner of the intersection.

As deputies continued trying to stop Johnson, he turned the ATV away from them, trying to avoid apprehension. Johnson tried to make a left turn onto North Division Street, at which point he lodged the ATV between the curb while sideswiping another vehicle. Deputies then ran towards Johnson, who fled on foot, but was quickly apprehended.

The driver of the other vehicle the ATV crashed into was not injured, and the driver’s vehicle sustained minor damage.

Johnson was charged with a total of 15 offenses, including attempting to elude uniformed police on foot, reckless driving, negligent driving, failure to remain at the scene of an accident, knowingly driving an uninsured motor vehicle, and other related traffic charges.