Prosecutor: NC man accused in machete attack stalked ex-girlfriend

APEX, N.C. — A Wake County prosecutor says a man accused of attacking his ex-girlfriend with a machete had been stalking her after their break-up.

Local media outlets report 20-year-old Neel Salil Mehta of Cary is charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury. Assistant District Attorney Anna Davis said Friday that authorities plan to upgrade the charge to attempted first-degree murder.

Apex police said 18-year-old Priyanka Kumari was walking home from a school bus stop Thursday when she was attacked. Davis said Kumari suffered wounds to her face, neck and hands.

Davis said investigators determined that Mehta had been sending Kumari threatening emails and had been planning the attack for several days.

A judge set Mehta's bond at $2 million. He has requested a court-appointed attorney.

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