By Shavonne Walker

shavonne.walker@salisburypost.com

Authorities say no suspects have been identified three days after someone intentionally struck a trooper with an all-terrain vehicle while he was responding to complaints of people riding in the roadway early Saturday.

Trooper Robert Charubini responded to the area, off N.C. 153, around 2 a.m. where two ATVs were in the road. According to a statement from the N.C. Department of Public Safety, the trooper flashed his lights and turned on his siren in order to get the two ATV riders to stop. The riders pulled onto Harmony Lane, a street within a subdivision near the Enochville area.

The trooper got out to warn the two people about driving ATVs in the road when one of them sped toward the trooper and ran him over. Charubini’s lower leg was broken and he received a cut to his chin. The ATV rider turned around and attempted to run the trooper over again.

The trooper was taken to Carolinas Medical Center-NorthEast. He has since been released.

The Rowan County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident and the Highway Patrol is providing support for the investigation, said Sgt. Michael Baker, a public information officer with the N.C. Department of Public Safety.

Rowan authorities said Monday no arrest has been made.

The North Carolina Troopers Association is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the two ATV riders involved in the assault. Enochville Community Watch has created a Go Fund Me page in hopes of raising money to add to the reward. According to the message posted on the online fundraising site, if the money goes unclaimed, it will be then offered to the trooper to help during his recovery or given to Salisbury-Rowan Crime Stoppers.