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A 26-year-old Pasco man is in jail after allegedly trying to kill his girlfriend during an argument over another man.
His 23-year-old live-in girlfriend was stabbed in the neck, but was able to fight off a second attack by Serafin Garandara and convince him to take her to the hospital, court documents said.
Garandara appeared in Franklin County Superior Court on Monday, where he was ordered held on suspicion of second-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault and felony harassment.
Bail was set at $500,000 and prosecutors have until 4 p.m. Wednesday to file charges.
Garandara's girlfriend was transferred to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where she was in satisfactory condition Monday evening, a hospital spokeswoman said.
The stabbing was reported just after 6 p.m. Friday when the girlfriend arrived at Lourdes Medical Center in Pasco with the stab wound.
She told Pasco police she had gotten into an argument with her boyfriend over her talking to another man, documents said.
The argument started in Kennewick, and continued as the couple returned to their Pasco apartment in the 1700 block of Court Street.
The victim said she went into the bedroom to change clothes and was sitting on the bed when Garandara walked in and pulled a steak knife from his pants that had been in the kitchen, documents said.
Garandara then reportedly grabbed his girlfriend by the hair, pulling her head back to expose her neck before thrusting the knife into the left side of her neck, documents said.
He then twisted the knife and told her he was going to kill her, court documents said.
When he pulled the knife out and tried to stab her again, the victim was able to grab the knife and fought for her life to keep him from killing her, documents said.
Garandara later told police he intended to kill his girlfriend, documents said.
She pleaded for her life during the struggle and at one point asked what her children would do without her. Garandara apparently said he would take them to her mother's house and drop them off.
After struggling for several minutes, the victim was able to convince Garandara to stop and take her to the hospital, documents said.
She apparently held onto the knife and threw it into the shrubs outside the apartments.
Officers were able to recover the knife and arrested Garandara at the hospital.
He was booked into the Franklin County jail.
Victims uncooperative after Sunnyside drive-by
Four bullets struck a Sunnyside house during a drive-by shooting, police said.
The suspects weren't identified but two victims inside the house were arrested for obstructing officers, said Charlotte Hinderlider, Sunnyside police spokeswoman.
Officers were called just before midnight Saturday to reports of shots fired in the 1000 block of Decatur Avenue, she said.
The victim, who was uncooperative and refused to identify himself, said a small silver car drove through the alley and shot at the house, Hinderlider said.
There also were three small children and two women in the house at the time of the shooting, but the women also wouldn't cooperate with the investigating officer, she said.
The male victim was treated for an abrasion received from gun powder, Hinderlider said. He was not hit by a bullet.
Four bullet holes were found in the house and one bullet was recovered from the scene.
Adrian Escobar, 21, of Yakima, was arrested on suspicion of obstructing a law enforcement officer and violating a no-contact order.
Martha Diaz, 20, of Sunnyside, also was arrested on suspicion of obstructing a law enforcement officer.
The shooting remains under investigation. Anyone with information about it can call Sunnyside police at 509-836-6200.
Crime Stoppers seeks Pasco man in kidnapping
Tri-Cities Crime Stoppers is searching for a Pasco man wanted for kidnapping.
Eladio Torres-Vargas, 24, is 5-foot-6, 130 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes.
Vargas, who has also used the alias Eduardo Torres, was last known to be living in Pasco.
He is charged with first-degree kidnapping.
Tri-Cities Crime Stoppers pays a cash reward of up to $1,000 for information that results in a felony arrest.
Anyone with information about Vargas' whereabouts can call 586-8477 or visit www. tricitiescrimestoppers.org. Tips can also be sent by text message by writing "Text TIP 411" plus the message to CRIMES (274637).
All calls to Crime Stoppers are confidential.
Valley man gets 5 years in robbery attempt
A 20-year-old Sunnyside man will spend five years in prison after his attempt to rob a convenience store was foiled when the clerk saw him on the security cameras.
Domingo Contreras-Mendoza was sentenced Friday in Yakima County Superior Court after pleading guilty to attempted first-degree armed robbery, officials said.
Contreras-Mendoza was arrested by Sunnyside police Sept. 14 after he tried to rob the Valley View Market in the 100 block of West Lincoln Avenue.
The clerk, who was in back, called police after seeing Contreras-Mendoza walk into the store wearing a mask and long coat, police said.
When officers responded, they found Contreras-Mendoza inside the store. A .22-caliber rifle fell out of his coat when he complied with orders to raise his hands, police said.
Search for missing Ore. man takes new direction
PENDLETON -- Umatilla County Sheriff John Trumbo activated the county's major crimes team Monday to help with the search for a Milton-Freewater man missing since Nov. 13, The Associated Press reported.
Trumbo said he doesn't suspect foul play, but the case needs a fresh approach.
Jason Sartin and a friend had gone four-wheeling near Tiger Canyon in the Umatilla National Forest. The sheriff's office says the 32-year-old was reportedly last seen by the friend driving down a forest road in a pickup that belonged to the friend's grandmother.
-- Paula Horton: 582-1556; phorton@tricityherald.com
