Doctor punches boy in face and stabs him with pole in 'ski rage' attack

Dr Samuel Caruthers must spend next three Valentine's Days in jail

Incident occurred at New Jersey ski resort in 2016 (file image) (Getty)

A doctor who punched a 12-year-old boy in the face and stabbed him with a pole in a "ski rage" incident must spend the next three Valentine's Days in jail.

Authorities said Dr Samuel Caruthers, 47, launched the attack after Jacob Azamoun crashed into his then-10-year-old son while snowboarding on a bunny slope at a New Jersey resort in 2016.

The state judge chose consecutive Valentine's Days as the sentence because that was the day the incident occurred.

Caruthers told the court he was unaware his victim was a child, because he said the boy wore thick clothing, stood around 5'7'' tall and had a moustache, according to the New Jersey Herald.

Mr Azamoun, who suffered minor injuries in the attack, said the collision was an accident.

In a letter written by Mr Azamoun, but read out during sentencing by his mother Caryn Azamoun, the now 16-year-old told of the "repeated nightmares" and "paranoia" he had suffered since the incident.

Caruthers was convicted in April of endangering the welfare of a child and other counts.

But the Sussex County jury also acquitted him of aggravated assault and a weapons charge.

Additional reporting by AP