Police Pulled Brick Man Off Woman As He Stabbed Her: Prosecutor

LONG BRANCH, NJ — A Brick Township man is facing an attempted murder charge after police say they had to pull him off a woman as he stabbed her on a Long Branch street on Tuesday, the Monmouth County prosecutor's office said Wednesday.

Michael Smith, 43, of Brick, is charged with first-degree attempted murder, two counts of second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, and two counts of second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni said.

Smith was armed with two knives and was swinging and grabbing at the victim, a 34-year-old Brick Township woman, who was lying on the ground when Long Branch police responded to the call on Lenox Avenue at 9:39 a.m. Police Officer Robert Korn pulled Smith off of the victim and arrested him, Gramiccioni said.

Smith had stabbed the woman multiple times in the chest and head, the prosecutor's office said. She is listed in stable condition at an unspecified hospital.

Smith faces 20 years in prison if convicted of the attempted murder charge, subject to the No Early Release Act. The weapons offenses carry 10-year maximum sentences.

Smith is scheduled for a first appearance on Feb. 11 with a detention hearing immediately after, the prosecutor's office said.

The case is assigned to Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Stephanie Dugan.

Click here to get Patch email notifications on this or other local news articles or get Patch breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our app. Download here.

Follow Brick Patch on Facebook. Have a news tip? Email karen.wall@patch.com

Photo by Renee Schiavone, Patch staff