News

March 31, 2009

W. Hazleton stabbing is 3rd in county in 2 days

Cops: Luis Eduardo Fernandez accused of stabbing Timothy Jones of White Haven.

By Steve Mocarsky smocarsky@timesleader.com
Staff Writer
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The third stabbing in two days in Luzerne County took place in West Hazleton on Sunday night.

Borough police officer Ashleigh Kilner said in court papers that she was dispatched to East Broad and North 3rd streets for a reported stabbing at 6:24 p.m. and found Timothy Jones, 18, of White Haven, bleeding profusely.

Kilner said a witness pointed out Luis Eduardo Fernandez, the alleged assailant, as he approached, and she arrested him.

Kilner said witnesses to the stabbing – Kenneth Schoch, 18, of White Haven, and a 17-year-old girl told her they went to 212 E. Spruce St. to buy “a little bit of weed” from a person named John, who was not home when they arrived. While they were waiting, John’s roommate – Fernandez – began arguing with Jones upstairs, she said.

The witnesses said Fernandez threw Jones down the steps, and the fight spilled out onto the porch, where Jones kicked Fernandez until Fernandez stabbed Jones several times in both legs and in the stomach, Kilner said.

Schoch told Kilner he tried to intervene, but Fernandez threatened and punched him.

Kilner said Fernandez admitted assaulting and stabbing Jones because he believed Jones was trying to steal from him.

Fernandez was charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, and three counts each of terroristic threats, reckless endangerment and harassment. He was arraigned by District Judge David Barilla and sent to Luzerne County prison for lack of $2,000 bail. His preliminary hearing is 10 a.m. April 7 in Central Court.

The other stabbings occurred farther north in the county.

Early Sunday morning, David Halal, 53, of Wilkes-Barre, was stabbed in the chest by an unknown assailant while he was walking on railroad tracks along Pennsylvania Avenue in Wilkes-Barre at about 2:30 a.m.

His last known condition at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center was serious.

And on Saturday, Patrolman Michael Thomas was dispatched at 9:31 p.m. to 513 Front St., for a reported stabbing.

Marry Storm, 46, gave Thomas a Swiss Army knife with a 3-inch blade that she said her boyfriend, Richard Michael Tattersall, 56, of the same address, used to stab her son, John Boehm, 27, after an argument, Thomas said.

Storm said Tattersall grabbed Boehm by the neck, they argued, Boehm pushed Tattersall onto a couch and Tattersall stabbed Boehm in the stomach. She said Tattersall then grabbed her by the throat and choked her and she hit him on the head with an ashtray to get free, Thomas said.

Tattersall was charged with reckless endangerment, simple assault and aggravated assault. He was arraigned by District Judge Paul Roberts, who set bail at $10,000. His preliminary hearing is 10 a.m. April 8 in Central Court.

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