A 65-year-old man from North Carolina is facing charges after allegedly stabbing a Montgomery Township resident and subsequently crashing into a police vehicle during a pursuit.

Brian Pyke, of calabash, North Carolina, has been charged with second-degree aggravated assault, second-degree eluding, and third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, according to Somerset County Prosecutor John McDonald.The charges stem from an incident that occurred on June 16.

The Montgomery Township man who was stabbed is expected to recover after undergoing emergency surgery at a local hospital, according to the prosecutor.

No law enforcement officers sustained injuries during the car crash that occurred during the chase, which spanned through Montgomery Township and Princeton before concluding in South Brunswick.

The incident unfolded at approximately 1:22 p.m. when township police officers, emergency medical personnel, and paramedics responded to a report of a man with stab wounds in the willow Run Lane area of the belle Mead section. Emergency responders rendered aid to the victim before transporting him to the hospital.

According to McDonald, the motive for the stabbing is still being investigated.

Witnesses provided Somerset County 911 dispatchers with a description of a suspect in a red SUV who was seen fleeing the scene after the stabbing, McDonald stated.

After the information was relayed to Montgomery police, officers located the vehicle on Somerset County Route 533 (Millstone River Road). When officers attempted to initiate a traffic stop, PYKE allegedly refused to stop, leading to a pursuit that extended through Montgomery, Princeton, and into South Brunswick, according to McDonald.

During the pursuit, PYKE allegedly struck a Montgomery Township Police vehicle, according to the prosecutor.

Arrest and Court appearance

PYKE allegedly refused to stop, resulting in a pursuit through Montgomery, Princeton and into South Brunswick.

PYKE was apprehended and taken into custody in South Brunswick.

After receiving treatment at a hospital for minor injuries,PYKE was taken to Montgomery Township Police headquarters. He was later transferred to the Somerset County Jail,where he remains pending a detention hearing before Superior Court Judge Peter Tober.

His next scheduled court appearance is a pre-indictment conference before superior court Judge Angela Borkowski on Aug. 8.

MCDONALD expressed gratitude to the South Brunswick Police Department for their assistance with the inquiry, and also to the citizens who alerted authorities and provided a description of the vehicle.

Ongoing Investigation

The Montgomery Township Police Detective Bureau and the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit are continuing their investigation.

Authorities are asking anyone with information about the incident to contact the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit at 908-231-7100 or the Montgomery Township Police Department at 908-359-3222 or via the STOPit app. Information can also be provided through the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477). All anonymous STOPit reports and Crime Stopper tips will be kept confidential.