A Connecticut police officer was stabbed in the neck Thursday afternoon by the driver of a vehicle he pulled over during a routine traffic stop, state police said.
Officer Tim Wright, assigned to the town of Woodbury’s resident state trooper office, was assaulted as he approached a male driver who had gotten out of his vehicle after being stopped.
The suspect then “engaged (Wright) in a physical altercation and stabbed him” with a knife, State Police Sgt. Luke Davis said during a news conference in Woodbury, a small community of less than 10,000 people in northwestern Connecticut.
“Officer Wright has been here in town for some time, and it is highly likely the individual was known to him,” Davis said.
Wright, who is expected to make a full recovery, activated an emergency button on his radio for assistance. When an additional officer arrived, he tased the suspect as he tried to flee on foot.
State police on Thursday night identified the suspect as Tyler Wilmot, 31, of Woodbury. He was charged with a list of crimes including assaulting a police officer, criminal attempt to commit murder, first-degree assault and several motor vehicle-related offenses.
Wilmot was being held on a $3 million bond and is scheduled to appear in court on Friday. It was unclear if he had an attorney.
Wright was rushed to a nearby hospital by a state police sergeant and was in stable condition Thursday evening. He has more than 35 years of law enforcement experience.
The Associated Press contributed to this report