Husband, Thomas LaSalle, released from hospitalA 1989 Hightstown High grad and former Messenger-Press reporter remained hospitalized Thursday in stable but guarded condition after she was allegedly stabbed by her husband Monday at their Foxmoor residence.
By: Mark Moffa
WASHINGTON — A 1989 Hightstown High graduate and former Messenger-Press reporter remained hospitalized Thursday in stable but guarded condition after she was allegedly stabbed by her husband Monday night at their Foxmoor residence.
Thomas LaSalle, 32, of the 100 block of Wyndham Place in the Foxmoor section of Washington, stabbed his wife, Angela Wiggs LaSalle, 28, approximately six times with a "kitchen-style" knife Monday night, said Angelo Onofri, administrative assistant prosecutor for Mercer County.
"There was a verbal altercation that escalated into a physical confrontation where Mr. LaSalle inflicted several lacerations on Ms. LaSalle, ranging from her head to her thighs," Mr. Onofri said.
A neighbor heard the dispute and called the police, Mr. Onofri said. "When the police arrived they heard her screaming for help."
The call came in to the Washington Township police at 11:57 p.m. The officers were able to force open the door of the townhouse, Mr. Onofri said.
"They found him in the bedroom and her at the top of the stairs," Mr. Onofri said. "She was bleeding pretty badly so getting her to the hospital quickly was a significant factor.
"The immediate response of the Washington Township Police Department and the quick action of the emergency medical personnel in this case prevented a death," Mr. Onofri said.
Ms. LaSalle was transported by Robert Wood Johnson EMTs to Capital Health System’s Fuld Campus in Trenton, where she was admitted in critical condition.
"The most serious wound was to the upper torso-chest area," Mr. Onofri said. He said the knife’s blade was 4 inches long.
Ms. LaSalle’s condition was upgraded to stable but guarded Wednesday.
Hospital officials said that due to the large amount of blood lost, Ms. LaSalle’s brain stopped receiving oxygen for an unknown period of time.
On Thursday afternoon she was unconscious and was relying on a respirator to breathe. Officials hoped Thursday to be able to take her off the respirator within the next three days.
When police arrived at the LaSalle residence Monday night, Mr. LaSalle was found with a stab wound to his neck.
"There was a self-inflicted wound in Mr. LaSalle’s neck and he was taken by Allentown Emergency Medical Service also to Capital Health System at Fuld," Mr. Onofri said. "He is under arrest and has been charged."
Mr. LaSalle was released Wednesday and is being held at the Mercer County Correction Center in Hopewell Township.
A friend of the couple on Tuesday night said the LaSalles, who have been married for two years, were living apart at the time of the attack. Ms. LaSalle had been staying with friends and had returned to the Wyndham Place residence Monday night to pick up clothes.
Ms. LaSalle told the friend earlier on Monday night that she was hopeful the couple could reach an amicable end to their relationship, the friend said, but added that she "was afraid" of what Mr. LaSalle might do.
Mr. Onofri said Mr. LaSalle is facing attempted murder charges, as well as a charge for the possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, a third-degree offense, and unlawful possession of a weapon, a fourth-degree offense.
"A knife – a kitchen knife – isn’t illegal to possess, per se, but when you use it on somebody it is," Mr. Onofri said.
Bail was set at $150,000 cash, meaning Mr. LaSalle cannot post 10 percent, he must pay the full amount.
Mr. Onofri said that attempted murder, a first-degree offense, carries a 10- to 20-year sentence, and falls under "no early release" legislation, which means that someone convicted of attempted murder would have to serve at least 85 percent of the sentence (or eight and a half to 18 years) before being eligible for parole.
Ms. LaSalle wrote for The Messenger-Press for almost two years, covering Allentown and Washington. She also worked for other Princeton Packet publications before leaving the company in February 1998 to work for then-Assemblywoman Barbara Wright.
She currently works for the Division of the Ratepayer Advocate’s Office in Newark, representing the interests of utility consumers.