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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; A Hazleton man accused of stabbing a woman outside a bar and leaving her in critical condition pleaded guilty to attempted murder Monday.</p><p>Nelson Hernandez Rivera, 36, of North Church Street, entered a plea before Luzerne County Judge Michael T. Vough, who set sentencing for Jan. 4.</p><p>Under a deal with the prosecution, an aggravated assault charge was withdrawn.</p><p>In the same incident, Hernandez Rivera was shot by an armed guard after reportedly charging at the guard with a knife.</p><p>According to court records:</p><p>Hernandez Rivera was observed arguing with Evelyn Almonte-Diaz, the victim, on March 19, 2017, inside Crystal Barbeque at 44 E. Broad St., Hazleton.</p><p>When the bar closed, Hernandez Rivera followed Almonte-Diaz outside and started stabbing her with a kitchen knife. He stabbed her multiple times in the chest region. </p><p>A security guard witnessed the attack and pulled out his gun. Despite the security guard asking Hernandez Rivera to &#8220;please stop,&#8221; he continued to stab her.</p><p>Court records state that Almonte-Diaz was able to seek cover behind the armed guard. Hernandez Rivera then began to make advances toward the guard while wielding the kitchen knife.</p><p>The guard fired two shots at the suspect, with one bullet striking him in the left leg. He held Hernandez Rivera at gunpoint until Hazleton police arrived.</p><p>Almonte-Diaz was eventually released from the hospital after she received treatment for what police called life-threatening injuries to her chest, back, arm and face.</p><p>Hernandez Rivera was remanded to the Luzerne County Correctional Facility without bail pending sentencing.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Nelson Hernandez Rivera kept his head down and away from cameras as he was wheeled out of a court appearance last year. The Hazleton man pleaded guilty Monday to attempted murder for stabbing a woman. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_web1_rivera-2.jpg</photo0><caption0>Nelson Hernandez Rivera kept his head down and away from cameras as he was wheeled out of a court appearance last year. The Hazleton man pleaded guilty Monday to attempted murder for stabbing a woman. </caption0><photoCredit0>Times Leader file photo </photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Dan Stokes</p><p>dstokes@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Dan Stokes at 570-991-6389 or on Twitter @ByDanStokes</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Hazleton man pleads to attempted murder for stabbing woman outside bar