North Carolina Man Arrested After Violent Stabbing in Montgomery Township

June 19, 2025

Somerset County Prosecutor’s Press Release

Montgomery Township, NJ — June 18, 2025 — A North Carolina man has been arrested and charged in connection with a violent stabbing that occurred in Montgomery Township earlier this week, Somerset County authorities confirmed.

According to a joint statement issued by Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald, Chief of County Detectives Francisco Roman Jr., and Montgomery Township Police Chief Silvio Bet, 65-year-old Brian Pyke, of Calabash, North Carolina, was taken into custody after allegedly stabbing a local resident and leading police on a multi-town car chase.

The incident began around 1:32 p.m. on Monday, June 16, when Montgomery Township Police, EMS, and Robert Wood Johnson paramedics responded to a 911 call on Willow Run Lane. First responders found a man suffering from multiple stab wounds to the shoulder and abdomen. The victim, a Montgomery resident, received emergency medical care at the scene before being transported to a nearby hospital, where he underwent surgery. He is expected to recover.

Witnesses at the scene provided dispatchers with a description of a red SUV fleeing the area. A Montgomery Township patrol unit quickly located the suspect’s vehicle traveling along County Route 533. Officers attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but the driver, later identified as Pyke, refused to comply.

What followed was a high-speed pursuit that extended through Montgomery and Princeton before ending in South Brunswick, where Pyke was apprehended. During the chase, Pyke allegedly rammed a Montgomery Township police vehicle, though no officers were injured.

Pyke was treated for minor injuries and later processed at the Montgomery Township Police Department. He has been charged with:

Aggravated Assault (2nd degree)
Eluding Law Enforcement (2nd degree)
Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose (3rd degree)

He is currently being held at the Somerset County Jail, pending a detention hearing.

The Montgomery Township Police Department and the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit are continuing to investigate the case. Authorities have not yet released a motive for the attack, but emphasized that there is no ongoing threat to the community.

Prosecutor McDonald expressed gratitude to the South Brunswick Police Department and local residents for their swift response and valuable assistance in apprehending the suspect.

Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged 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. Anonymous tips can also be submitted via the STOPit app or Somerset County Crime Stoppers at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477).

Note: All charges are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Photo Credit: Daniel Tadevosya/Shutterstock.com