Fayetteville officer assaulted during arrest attempt

Fayetteville police are searching for a man after he assaulted a female officer as she tried to arrest him early Thursday morning. 

Police say officer Mary McCafferty was punched in the face several times after she responded to a report of a vehicle break-in near the College Lakes neighborhood on Southport Road around 3:45 a.m. 

McCafferty stopped near the intersection of Ridgeway Drive and Ramsey Street to talk with a man who matched the description of the break-in suspect, authorities said. After discovering evidence linking the man to the incident, McCafferty began taking the man into custody. 

She placed hand-cuffs onto one of the man's wrists before the man began to fight back, punching McCafferty repeatedly, police said.

The man fled the scene after the assault. McCafferty was taken to Cape Fear Valley Hospital for minor injuries. 

Police say the black man fled the scene on a bicycle following the assault. He is about 6-feet tall and 215 pounds.

He was wearing a hooded sweatshirt, denim jeans, black shoes and a black puffy jacket. He had the hand-cuffs on his right wrist. 

Anyone with information is asked to call the Fayetteville Police Department or 911.