Bensalem Cop Stabbed, Police Vehicle Stolen
By Steve Tawa
BENSALEM, Pa., (CBS) -- A police stop in Bensalem, Bucks County could have been worse for an officer, who was stabbed, and his marked vehicle was stolen, while pursuing a wanted man Tuesday afternoon.
Now, the suspect is facing charges and is behind bars on $5 million dollars bail.
Police say 23-year-old Matthew Miller, of Bensalem, has been arrested and charged with attempted murder of a police officer and related charges.
About a half hour after Miller was reported missing from his work-release program at Bucks County Prison, 38-year-old Bensalem officer Michael Jachimski spotted him walking along Woodhaven Road, near the Franklin Mills Mall.
Bensalem Director of Public Safety Fred Harran, holding up the suspect's photo, with a face full of tattoos, says the officer got out of his marked unit, and recognized Miller as a wanted man.
___
"He then lunged at the officer with a knife and stabbed the officer in the stomach," Harran said.
The brunt of the attack was deflected by the officer's bullet-proof vest.
"We have a puncture to the vest, but thank god it did not go through the vest and did not injure the officer," Harran said.
Officer Jachimski still pursued the suspect, who jumped into his police vehicle.
"A taser was deployed when the individual jumped in, but it didn't connect with the suspect. He then took off in the police car," Harran said.
A short time later, the vehicle was found abandoned around Knights and Fairdale Roads in Philadelphia. Miller was caught behind Rush Elementary School, and locked up within an hour of being reported missing.
Officer Jachimski has been with Bensalem Police for six years after spending four years with the Philadelphia Police Department. Four years ago, while responding to a call, a truck cut off his patrol car, and the car burst into flames. Jachimski suffered two broken wrists, but later returned to duty.
Miller was arraigned Tuesday night and sent to the Bucks County Correctional Facility in lieu of $5,000,000.
