Man Arrested for Hit-and-Run Crash in Wilmington, NC

WILMINGTON, N.C. — A man has been arrested and charged with felony hit-and-run, driving while impaired, and other offenses after a crash on South 15th Street that resulted in the amputation of a child’s leg, according to Wilmington police and court records.

Theodore Gause, 32, was taken into custody following an investigation into the incident, which occurred on April 18, 2026, near the intersection of South 15th Street and Market Street. Police say Gause was operating a vehicle while impaired when he struck a child who was riding a bicycle in a crosswalk. The impact caused severe trauma to the child’s lower left leg, necessitating emergency amputation at a local hospital.

According to the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, Gause fled the scene on foot after the collision. Witnesses reported seeing him discard items from his vehicle before fleeing, and surveillance footage from nearby businesses helped investigators identify his vehicle and trace his movements. He was apprehended several hours later at a residence in the 2000 block of Castle Hayne Road.

Gause has been charged with felony hit-and-run resulting in serious injury, driving while impaired, reckless driving, and failure to stop and render aid. He is being held without bond at the New Hanover County Detention Facility pending his initial court appearance, scheduled for April 22, 2026, in New Hanover County District Court.

The child, whose identity has not been released due to age and the sensitive nature of the injuries, remains hospitalized in stable condition. Medical officials have confirmed the amputation was performed to save the child’s life following catastrophic limb trauma. No further details about the child’s prognosis or recovery have been made public.

Wilmington Police Department officials said the investigation is ongoing and that they are working with the District Attorney’s office to build a case. Authorities have urged anyone with additional information about the incident to come forward, particularly regarding Gause’s actions immediately before and after the crash.

This incident marks one of the most serious traffic-related injuries involving a child in Wilmington in recent years. Local traffic safety advocates have renewed calls for increased enforcement of impaired driving laws and improved pedestrian and cyclist safety measures in high-traffic urban corridors like South 15th Street.