WHITEHALL TWP., PA** – A report of a stabbing in Allentown led to a significant rescue operation on the Lehigh River in Whitehall Township.
The incident unfolded around 11:30 a.m. today when Allentown Police responded to a call regarding a stabbing in the 600 block of N. Jerome Street. Upon arrival, officers discovered a victim with a stab wound to her foot. According to court documents, the victim identified her assailant as 41-year-old Javier Quinones of Allentown, who was a former neighbor.
The victim revealed that Quinones entered her home, took a knife from the kitchen, and threatened her at knifepoint, demanding she remove her clothing. When she refused, he allegedly threatened to harm her children if she did not comply. Quinones then picked up a larger knife from the kitchen, held it to her neck, and reiterated his demands.
After refusing again, the victim sustained a stab wound to her foot but managed to escape through the back door. A passerby witnessed the victim’s distress and promptly called for help.
Later in the afternoon, Quinones was apprehended by Whitehall Police following a car accident. After the crash, he jumped into the Lehigh River near Front Street, beneath the bridge carrying U.S. 22. Quinones initially resisted leaving the water, prompting the intervention of two rescue swimmers and a rescue boat to safely bring him out.
