By WECT Staff | January 14, 2021 at 5:06 PM EST – Updated January 14 at 5:06 PM
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – A Wilmington man is facing an attempted murder charge after he allegedly assaulted another man on a WAVE Transit bus earlier this week.
A spokesperson for the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office said the suspect, 38-year-old Antonio Jermaine Dickens, and the victim were both riding the bus on Tuesday when Dickens instigated a confrontation with the man.
Dickens then knocked the victim unconscious and stomped and kicked his head, the sheriff’s spokesperson said.
The bus driver pulled over on Gardner Drive and called 911.
The sheriff’s spokesperson said Dickens was standing outside the bus when deputies arrived at the scene. The victim was rushed to New Hanover Regional Medical Center where he was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit in critical condition.
Dickens was initially charged with assault inflicting serious injury, however, deputies upgraded that charge on Thursday to attempted first-degree murder. He also faces charges of injury to personal property, possession of marijuana, possession of marijuana paraphernalia, and resist/delay/obstruct an officer.
He was booked in jail under a $400,000 bond.
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