George Burleigh, 60, of the 400 block of Oak Street in the Elwood section of Mullica, is charged with carjacking, aggravated assault, criminal restraint, terroristic threats, criminal attempt, resisting arrest, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of a weapon, hindering apprehension and tampering with evidence, police said.

Burleigh, who previously lived in Atco, is a convicted sex offender. He tried to sexually assault to juvenile females at knifepoint in October 1983, according to the New Jersey Sex Offender Registry.

The attempted carjacking took place shortly after 10 a.m. July 11 outside SuperFresh in the Hammonton Square Shopping Center at 75 S. White Horse Pike, Hammonton Police Detective Joel Frederico said.

A 23-year-old Hammonton woman, whose name was not released, was securing her 8-month-old son in a child safety seat in her vehicle. Burleigh approached her from behind, covered her mouth with his hand and put a knife near her stomach, police said.

Burleigh ordered the woman to get in the vehicle but she refused, police said.

The pair eventually exchanged words, Frederico said.

"The man asked the woman if she lived in the area. She replied, 'No,' and the man fled the scene," Frederico said.

The woman then got in her car and called 9-1-1, police said.

Sgt. Sam Mavilla was the first officer at the scene. The woman told him the suspect had run east toward Brand Jewelers.

A subsequent search of the area -- aided by nearby farm workers, who noticed something moving in the woods next to the store -- led authorities to Burleigh, who was lying on the ground next to a retention basin fence.

Burleigh had used his knife "to cut his pants into shorts in attempt to avoid the original suspect description," Frederico said.