In a harrowing incident in North Carolina, a 51-year-old man under the influence of cocaine, opiates, and benzodiazepines caused severe injury to a 9-year-old boy. The child, peacefully seated on his bicycle in his driveway, became the victim of a tragic accident when the man veered off the road and propelled him into a retaining wall.

Theodore Gause now faces a slew of charges, including felony serious injury by a vehicle, felony hit and run, impaired driving, and operating a vehicle with a revoked license. This unfortunate event unfolded on April 20 in New Hanover County, marking a day of deep concern for the community.

The Wilmington Police Department detailed the incident in a Facebook press release, explaining that Gause crossed the centerline on the 600 block of South 15th Street, colliding with the young bicyclist. The impact was severe, sending both the vehicle and the child into a retaining wall before they came to a halt.

Local prosecutors reported that Gause, after stopping at a nearby intersection, accelerated rapidly, striking the boy with considerable force. Witnesses observed him exiting the vehicle and attempting to flee on foot, but he was soon apprehended, as reported by Port City Daily and NBC affiliate WECT.

During the investigation, Gause reportedly claimed he believed he had merely hit a curb. Upon learning that he had struck a child, he attempted to flee once more, a detail highlighted by prosecutors during a bond hearing, according to WECT.

Gause allegedly told investigators he thought he hit a curb; when he was informed it was a child he tried to run off again, according to WECT, citing information raised by prosecutors at a bond hearing.

Court records viewed by Law&Crime say Gause has an “extensive criminal history” that is “assaultive in nature.” He was released from prison in May 2025 and his parole just ended March 6, per the records.

“[Gause] should have known that the vehicle he was operating was involved in a collision, and that collision resulted in serious injury to [the victim],” an arrest warrant states. “The defendant unlawfully and willfully did operate motor vehicle on street or highway while the defendant’s driver’s license was revoked.”

The arrest warrant says Gause “amputated” the leg of his victim and left him with other serious injuries, which led to his hospitalization at the Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center. Gause was ordered held on a $31 million bond last week and is due back in court on May 7.