After verbal dispute, suspect allegedly followed and waited for the victim to enter the parking lot
A Burlington man has been charged with attempted murder and other offenses after allegedly striking another man with his car in the parking lot at the Halo Farm store on Spruce Street on July 8, according to the Lawrence Township Police Department.
The 54-year-old man also has been charged with assault by auto, leaving the scene of a motor vehicle crash with serious injuries, endangering an injured victim, aggravated assault and attempted aggravated assault, police said. He was arrested July 11.
Police were called to Halo Farm at 970 Spruce St. at 5:08 p.m. for a report of a hit-and-run crash involving a pedestrian who was struck by a car. When the officers arrived, they found the victim in the parking lot with multiple injuries.
The victim was taken to Capital Health Regional Medical Center in Trenton by the Lawrence Township EMS (emergency medical services). He is still hospitalized and remains in serious condition, police said.
The suspect and the victim had engaged in a verbal dispute in the vicinity of a nearby 7-Eleven store prior to the crash, police said. He followed the victim and the victim’s girlfriend to the parking lot at Halo Farm and the Trenton Farmers Market.
The man waited in his car for the victim and the victim’s girlfriend, police said. As the couple entered the parking lot at Halo Farm, the suspect allegedly drove his vehicle at a high rate of speed toward them. His car allegedly struck the victim, and then he fled the scene, police said.
The man was arrested July 11 by the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office in the City of Trenton. He is being held at the Mercer County Correction Center to await a detention hearing, police said.
The Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office and the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the investigation.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Lawrence Township Police Detective Paulina Way at 609-844-7133 or by email at [email protected], or Lawrence Township police Detective Sean Kerins at 609-844-7121 or by email at [email protected].