Man Wanted by Feds Rescued and Arrested by Atlantic City Cops

It was a wild scene in Atlantic City Monday that started with cops allegedly witnessing a drug deal in a parking lot and ended with one of the suspects, who was wanted on the Federal-level, being rescued from the bay.

The Atlantic City Police Department says two of their detectives, Christopher Smith and Christopher Dodson, were in the area of Texas and Pacific Avenues Monday when they observed a Ford Explorer in a parking lot. They say two people in that SUV engaged in a drug deal with a man who approached them. After the transaction, that man returned to his vehicle and left; additional detectives began to follow that vehicle.

Meanwhile, Smith and Dodson attempted to stop the Explorer in the lot. That's when cops say, "while approaching the vehicle, the driver, Dwayne Townsend, reversed the Explorer and crashed into Detective Dodson’s vehicle. Townsend then sped forward causing Detective Smith to quickly move to safety. The vehicle [then] sped away running through a fence before entering Pacific Avenue."

The Explorer was later found unoccupied at Morris and Sunset Avenues and officers found Townsend attempting to swim in the bay. Police say Townsend initially refused commands from officers to swim back to shore, but eventually he did, only to jump back into the water as cops approached.

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Authorities say Townsend, who was fully clothed, was struggling to stay afloat and he was rescued by an ACPD officer. He was transported to Atlanticare Regional Medical Center-City Division for treatment.

According to police, when Townsend was arrested, he was found to be in possession of a loaded, defaced handgun; heroin; marijuana; and cocaine.

Townsend had two outstanding warrants for his arrest that issued by the United States Marshals Service and the Atlantic County Sheriff’s Office.

27-year-old Dwayne Townsend of Atlantic City was charged with assault by auto, aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon while committing a CDS offense, possession of a defaced firearm, possession of a large capacity magazine, certain person not to possess a weapon, obstruction of justice, eluding, possession of CDS (three counts), possession with intent to distribute CDS (three counts), possession of narcotic paraphernalia, and contempt of court (two counts).

Townsend will be remanded to the Atlantic County Justice Facility upon his release from the hospital.