A man in Macon County faces charges due to his involvement in the assault of a dirt bike rider who was shot and is now in serious condition at the hospital.
WCIA reported that a 25-year-old man was shot in the chest while riding a dirt bike in the 900 block of W. Decatur St. on Aug. 5.
According to a sworn statement by Decatur Police, a 17-year-old is suspected of shooting the victim, while 36-year-old Drew Ford is accused of stomping on the victim’s head post-shooting.
The incident stemmed from allegations that the 25-year-old had stolen a motorbike.
A witness on site reported seeing a truck attempt to hit a 25-year-old riding a green motorbike. Following this, two men exited the truck and began assaulting him with kicks and punches while he was on the ground.
Another witness claimed that a third individual, riding a black motorbike, was part of the attack. This person allegedly rode beside the victim and fired a gun at him, causing the crash.
The injured man later spoke to the police at the hospital, identifying the shooter as the 17-year-old. He described how the teenager on the black motorbike rounded the truck and aimed a firearm at him. Despite raising his hands in surrender, the teenager shot him, leading to another shot that made him crash. Following the crash, the 17-year-old allegedly approached as the victim pleaded for mercy.
At this point, Ford reportedly came from the truck and stomped on his head. The victim then feigned unconsciousness, prompting the attackers to leave him and focus on reloading the bikes onto the truck.
The victim is now in stable condition, according to the police sworn statement.
Ford is facing multiple charges including aggravated battery, mob action, unlawful possession of weapons by a felon, and aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon.
On Monday, Ford was denied pretrial release because the court found that he poses a “real and present threat to the safety of the community.” He will appear again in court for a preliminary hearing on Sept. 3.
