Police: Man heard voices, stabbed co-worker

An Allentown man is accused of stabbing a co-worker in the head and neck with cutting shears Monday in a city workplace and told authorities that voices compelled him to it, court records say.

Martin Lopez, 36, of the 1900 block of South Delaware Street in Allentown, faces charges of aggravated assault, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, simple assault and harassment. Hewas arraigned Monday before District Judge Tom Creighton and sent to Lehigh County Jail under $80,000 bail.

According to court records: Police responded at 3:09 p.m. Monday to reports of an assault with a weapon at Empire Co., 2027 S. 12th St. Police found Lopez and a co-worker outside in the parking lot and immediately detained Lopez, whose hands were covered in blood. The co-worker, whose name police did not release, told authorities that Lopez attacked him unprovoked while the two were inside working.

Empire Co.’s security cameras showed Lopez and the manwere speaking at a work station. Once the man’s back was turned, Lopez pulled out a pair of cutting shears and repeatedly stabbed the man in the head and neck.

The two struggled as the man tried to untangle himself from Lopez. The maneventually freed himself and ran out of the building with Lopez in pursuit.

The manwhowas stabbed was sent to St. Luke’s Hospital-Allentown, where he received stitches for the puncture wounds. Lopez also needed stitches to his left hand.