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HAZLETON — A man allegedly slashed his ex-girlfriend and her boyfriend with a pocketknife late Sunday.

Police said they arrested Darnell Keith Jackson, 29, after a foot chase for about seven blocks from where he slashed Leshia Gray, 23, and Nayvi Marte, 25, in the 700 block of North Laurel Street just after 10 p.m.

Gray suffered a laceration to her face that required eight stitches, and Marte required 36 staples to his forearm and 18 staples to his rib cage for slash wounds, officers reported.

Police believe the fight involved a child custody dispute between Gray and Jackson.

According to a criminal complaint:

Gray told police Jackson called her friend’s cellphone, and it was answered by Marte. During the call, Jackson told Marte he was going to kick in his door. Marte responded by telling Jackson to come to his house to fight.

Jackson later arrived in the area of West 11th and North Laurel streets where Marte encountered him.

Jackson and Marte squared up and punched each other several times. During the fight, Marte suffered a 12-inch-long laceration on his left forearm and a slash wound to his rib cage.

Marte retreated when he realized he was injured and saw Jackson holding a pocketknife.

Gray told police she suffered a slash wound below her eye when Jackson punched her after she intervened in the fight.

Derek King, 23, who accompanied Jackson to the fight, was detained in the area of 19th Street and Sherman Court. King was cited with disorderly conduct.

Jackson was charged with two counts each of aggravated assault and simple assault, and one count each of resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. He was arraigned Monday by District Judge James Haggerty in Luzerne County Central Court and jailed for lack of $15,000 bail.

Jackson
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By Ed Lewis

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