SCRANTON, Pa. — A man from Staten Island, New York, was in custody Sunday and facing charges he assaulted and kidnapped his ex-girlfriend at knifepoint in Scranton, law enforcement officials said.
William Vasquez Jr., 41, was arrested in New York and is awaiting extradition back to Pennsylvania, said Brian Gallagher, first assistant district attorney of Lackawanna County.
The victim was also found and is expected to be OK.
The 33-year-old woman sought a protection from abuse order in May against Vasquez, who was described in the civil filings as her former partner. Lackawanna County President Judge Trish Corbett signed a final order May 20 prohibiting Vasquez from contacting the victim or her two children, ages 5 and 2.
Vasquez, police said, didn't listen.
Late Saturday night, Vasquez showed up at his ex-girlfriend's East Mountain home very drunk and armed with a box-cutter, according to a statement given to police by a friend of the victim. That friend had been at the house when the break-in happened because the victim felt unsafe, according to a criminal complaint.
Vasquez broke in and held them against their will. He also repeatedly punched his ex-girlfriend, choked her, threatened to kill her and cut her with the razor, police charged.
After more than an hour, Vasquez forced her into a vehicle and ordered her to drive him to New York, where he was taken into custody later Sunday with the help of the New York State Police and the New York City Police Department.
Vasquez is awaiting return to Scranton to answer charges of kidnapping, burglary, strangulation, unlawful restraint, terroristic threats, simple assault and possessing an instrument of crime.