Police Arrest Butler County Teen After Road Rage Stabbing Near Route 8

A 19-year-old Butler County man was arrested Wednesday after a road rage incident in along Route 8 in Richland Township led to another man being stabbed with a pocketknife.

Sarver resident Kristian Nelson is charged with aggravated assault and recklessly endangering another person.

Northern Regional Police Chief Bob Amann said Nelson was the passenger in a car with two other teens who were driving on William Flynn Highway at about 5:45 p.m. 

For reasons still unknown, the teens, who are all from Butler County, got into an argument with Chris Baer, who was walking on the highway.

Amann said Baer, a 28-year-old from the Bakerstown area of Richland, spit twice at the car's occupants, hitting the gold Honda's windshield—and then striking Nelson.

The car took off, but not for long.

"After the spitting incident, they drove down Route 8 and came into the Northtowne Square where they found him walking down the side road, and that’s where they caught up with him," Amann said.

The chief said Nelson threw a pocketknife at Baer, striking him in the stomach.

Baer then walked to the nearby King's Family Restaurant to call paramedics.

An employee of the restaurant told Pine-Richland Patch Baer was helped into the restaurant by two other men. The restaurant remained open during the incident.

Baer was taken by ambulance to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh for treatment. Amann did not have an update on his condition.

Police were able to catch up with Nelson and the two other occupants of the car near the Lowe's and Target in Northtowne Square within minutes of the incident occurring.

The officers already were in the area dealing with a traffic stop on William Flynn Highway, Amann said.

"Our cars were able to stop the suspect's vehicle as they were exiting to Route 8," he said. "It was very quick."

Amann said the driver of the gold Honda is 19 and the other occupant is 16. Their names are not being released at this time.

Nelson is the only person charged so far in the incident. More charges may be filed as police continue to investigate, Amann said. 

Check back with Patch for updates on this developing story.

Were you in the King's Restaurant when the wounded man walked in? Were you caught in the traffic? Tell us in the comment section below.

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