Detective James Matthews said he charged Ponton, 51, with two counts of attempted murder and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon on a government official.
He was also charged with possession of a firearm by a felon, carrying a concealed gun and felony possession of cocaine.
He was jailed on $500,000 bond and has a January 12 court date.
Weldon Police Chief Mark Macon requested the sheriff’s office handle the investigation.
Macon said Saturday the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office filed most of the charges against Ponton after he allegedly fired a shot with .45-caliber handgun at officer L. Clanton and C. Exum.
The shooting occurred shortly after Ponton was stopped by officers for riding his bicycle at night without lights when he was nearly hit by a patrol car.
Ponton rode the bike into his yard and had his hands in his coat pocket, Macon said.
He was acting nervous and when officers asked to do a pat down he refused. Following a warrant check, which came back negative, the officers were going to talk to him about the bicycle violation. Ponton ran and was stopped as he approached a snowy embankment.
As Clanton was trying to handcuff him, Ponton fired a round, which missed the officer. Ponton was struck with a taser, which subdued him, Macon said.
Officers recovered the weapon and 20 hits of crack cocaine Ponton allegedly had on him.
As Weldon and the sheriff’s office investigated, Roanoke Rapids officers and state Highway Patrol troopers secured the crime scene.
Macon said the federal bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms has been called to trace the weapon. “We hope ATF will adopt the case since it involved a weapon and drugs.”
Macon said the police department has had run ins with Ponton before, but it never led to this type of reaction from him.
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