Police: Fight leads to man being stabbed in hand in Shenandoah

Frank Andruscavage, Republican & Herald, Pottsville, Pa.
·2 min read
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Apr. 13—SHENANDOAH — A borough man is in prison after being charged with assaulting and stabbing another man Sunday night.

Gilberto Perez, 43, of 15 S. Market St., faces two felony counts of aggravated assault, one misdemeanor count of simple assault and a summary count of harassment.

He was arraigned by on-call Magisterial District Judge James K. Reiley, Pottsville, and committed to Schuylkill County Prison unable to post $15,000 cash bail.

Shenandoah police Patrolman Cody Applegate charged Perez with an incident that began at a borough business and continued in the area of 120 N. Bower St. around 9:50 p.m.

Applegate said Patrolman Travis Bowman were called to the Bower Street area for a report of a fight involving two men, one armed with two knives and the other with a shovel.

Applegate said officers saw Luis Hernandez standing in the street holding a shovel and Perez standing behind a garbage can on the sidewalk holding a blue chef's knife and a silver folding knife.

Both men were ordered to drop their weapons. Perez initially put his hand into his pocket, police said, but complied when ordered to take it out.

A woman in the area, Jennifer Wentworth, yelled out her window that Perez stabbed Hernandez and then came out of her house to translate for Hernandez, who does not speak English, Applegate said.

The officer learned that Hernandez was at the One Stop store on Main Street when he was approached by Perez about money he owed and the two began to fight. Perez stabbed Hernandez in the left hand, Applegate said.

Perez also allegedly bit the victim on the right forearm, breaking the skin, and then struck him in the face several times, Applegate said.

Applegate said Perez left the area and Hernandez went to Wentworth's home to have a bandage placed on the 1-inch laceration he suffered to the ring finger on his left hand.

Applegate said Perez came to the area of 120 N. Bower St., where Hernandez armed himself with a shovel.

Applegate said Perez was taken into custody without incident and Hernandez was taken by EMS to a local hospital for treatment.

Perez faces a preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge Anthony J. Kilker in his Shenandoah courtroom at a later date.