NEW JERSEY (KYW Newsradio) — A teenager from Virginia has been charged with the attempted murder of a Burlington County police officer after authorities say he intentionally hit a cop car and lunged at police with a knife.
According to the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, Florence Township police were responding to an overturned vehicle around 4:30 p.m. on March 21 when someone purposefully rammed a car into their cruiser multiple times on Route 130 near Station Road.
The car, which belonged to a 16-year-old from Alexandria, Virginia, eventually became inoperable. That’s when officials say he got out, ran at the officers and lunged at them with a knife in hand.
An officer, who officials say attempted to disarm the teenager, suffered a laceration to his torso and facial injuries. Two other cops were also treated and released.
Upon further investigation, authorities say the teenager caused the initial crash that caused the overturned vehicle.
The 16-year-old faces a plethora of charges, including attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon and vehicular assault.
He’s being held at a juvenile detention center in North Brunswick. The ongoing investigation is being handled by the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office and the Florence Township Police Department.