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Coraopolis woman accused of stabbing, trying to suffocate another woman

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A Coraopolis woman is facing charges after she allegedly stabbed and tried to suffocate another woman.

Police were called to the 600 block of Pressley Street in Pittsburgh's East Allegheny neighborhood for a reported stabbing just after 8:15 p.m. on Friday.

According to the criminal complaint, responding officers found a woman, identified as Saniyah Gates, with cuts on her head and cheek and blood on her face and clothes. She told police she was attacked by a woman, identified as Kaylynn Lucas, 40, of Coraopolis.

Lucas had accused Gates of taking her phone, which Gates denied. The two women got into a verbal altercation and Lucas allegedly patted Gates down while searching for the phone. When Lucas could not find the phone, she reportedly told Gates, 'I'm about to trash you,' then used a paring knife to stab Gates in the cheek and head. Lucas then proceeded to throw Gates into a radiator.

Gates told police that Lucas tried to keep her in the room and prevented her from leaving the apartment.  

Lucas then told Gates that she was 'going to die tonight' and then proceeded to put a plastic bag over Gates' head to suffocate her, the criminal complaint added.

Officers entered the apartment unit and later found a large amount of bleach and blood in the bedroom where the attack had taken place. A small knife broken in two pieces was also found.

An officer found Lucas on another floor and recognized her from prior incidents. She was detained by police without incident, per the criminal complaint.

After being given a statement from the apartment leaseholder and being positively identified by Gates, Lucas was taken into custody. 

Lucas faces multiple charges, including attempted homicide, strangulation, and aggravated assault. She is being held at the Allegheny County Jail. 

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 1.

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