Man gets 3-to-6 years for assaults

WILKES-BARRE �?? A city man charged with stabbing and injuring one woman and assaulting another was sentenced Monday to three to six years in state prison.

Raymond Vega, 41, of Airy Street, was sentenced by Judge David Lupas on one count each of aggravated assault and simple assault. Vega pleaded guilty to the charges in June.

�??I apologize (for what happened),�?� Vega said Monday.

According to court papers, on May 6, 2011, police were called to an Airy Street apartment for an unconscious woman bleeding from a wound on her neck. Police said Tabitha Tirado was taken to Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Plains Township for treatment of her injuries.

Police later learned that Vega was the boyfriend of Tirado�??s mother, Veronica Robles, and that Vega arrived at the house around 10 p.m. intoxicated.

Police said an argument began over Vega being with another woman, during which Vega threatened Tirado. Later, Robles saw Vega leaving the house with a bag and when Robles accused him of stealing items Vega swung at her, but missed. Tirado stepped in and was punched in the face by Vega, who then punched Robles.

Robles�?? son, Ryan, struggled with Vega when Vega grabbed a knife from the kitchen counter. That�??s when, police said, Vega stabbed Tirado in the neck.

Vega tried to leave the house, but Robles�?? son subdued him until police arrived.

Court papers say Tirado had to undergo surgery to repair the injuries from the stab wound that cut her jugular vein and punctured her trachea.

Police said had the injuries not been treated as quickly as they had, the wound would have resulted in Tirado�??s death.