Crime & Safety
Man Arrested In Health Care Worker's Stabbing In Toms River, Police Say
The Ocean County man had been sought for more than a week before his arrest.
TOMS RIVER, NJ — A man who had been sought by Toms River police since July 31 in the stabbing of a health care worker has been arrested, authorities said Friday.
Christopher Therien, 33, was spotted by an off-duty Lacey Township police officer on Thursday shortly before 3 p.m. at 25 Route 9 South in Manahawkin, Stafford Township police said.
Therien, who Stafford police said lives in Jackson, had been charged by Toms River police with aggravated assault. Stafford police said the charge was in connection with the stabbing but authorities have not released details on the Toms River incident.
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Therien gave police false information regarding his identity but Stafford police were able to confirm he was the suspect being sought through his tattoos, police said. As the officers tried to arrest Therien he ran but police quickly caught him.
Stafford police said he continued to resist arrest but was ultimately taken into custody.
Find out what's happening in Toms Riverfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
A search resulted in the recovery of two firearms, one of which was a sawed-off shotgun, according to court records, along with an unspecified amount of ammunition and a knife, police said.
Thieren was taken to Southern Ocean Medical Center for treatment of injuries received during the arrest and then taken to Ocean County Jail, where he is being held pending a detention hearing.
He is charged by Stafford police with hindering apprehension, obstruction of justice, unlawful possession of firearms, possession of firearms by a prohibited person, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest, police said.
Ocean County jail records show he is additionally charged with aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and unlawful possession of a weapon. Information on stabbing incident resulting in those charges has been requested from Toms River police.
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