Man faces charges in May stabbing

A Hanover Township, Northampton County, man’s good Samaritan effort to help a stranded motorist left him with 11 stab wounds, police say.

Nathaniel Sanborn, 28, no known address, is facing charges including attempted criminal homicide, Colonial Regional police Detective Gary Hammer said Wednesday. Hammer said charges have been filed with District Judge Vivian Zumas of Hanover Township, and Sanborn is expected to be arraigned next weekvia video link from Luzerne County jail, where he is facing unrelated charges.

The Hanover Township incident took place in May, when Sanborn allegedly stabbed township resident Joseph Bianco 11 times. According to Hammerand court documents:

Bianco was driving north May 13 on Schoenersville Road, near the Westgate Mall, when he saw Sanborn in the middle of the four-lane highway. Sanborn told Bianco his car had run out of gas, and Bianco eventually took Sanborn to his home, where they spent a couple of hours.

When Bianco later offered to take Sanborn to his car and provide gas, Sanborn took Bianco’s cellphone, then stabbed him 11 times. Sanborn then fled on foot.

During the investigation, Colonial police learned from state police in Monroe County about a vehicle that wasreported stolen in Bartonsville earlier May13and left at the Westgate Mall parking lot. State police identified Sanborn as the person who stole the vehicle

Subsequent DNAtesting taken from Sanborn matched genetic information police collected at

Bianco’s home, establishing that the two menhadbeen in Bianco’s home. Police also received a large kitchen knife and two cellphones that wererecovered fromaneighbor’s shed. Theitemsmatchedthe descriptions of those in the incident.

Bianco, whoseinjuries included two punctured lungs, was transported to St. Luke’s University Hospital’s trauma center in Fountain Hill, where he recovered, Hammer said.

Sanborn’s Northampton

County charges were filed MondayinZumas’office. Besides attempted criminal homicide, Sanborn is expected to be arraigned on other felony counts of aggravated assault androbbery, and recklessly endangering another person, a misdemeanor.

Sanborn is in Luzerne County jail under $25,000 bail, according to a media report, on unrelated charges. of aggravated assault, burglary, resisting arrest and two counts of simple assault.

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