Jose Irais "Ricardo" Armas faces four counts of aggravated assault, police say

By Ted Czech
Updated: 06/10/2015 03:55:15 PM EDT

A Fairview Township man is scheduled for a preliminary hearing later this month for trying to stab his former boss, who was helping him move, according to charging documents.

Until the June 17 hearing, Jose Irais "Ricardo" Armas is being held on an immigration detainer — because he may be an illegal immigrant — and $15,000 bail, according to York County Prison.

Fairview Township Police allege that on May 28, Armas, 51, hit and tried to stab his former boss, 72-year-old George Sgagias, who owns the Hillside Cafe.

Sgagias and another of his employees, Herbert Ritter, 47, were helping Armas move out of his apartment in the 500 block of Salem Road when the assault occurred at about 6:25 p.m., police said.

Ritter stopped Armas' attack on Sgagias by grabbing the knife and then stabbing Armas in the abdomen with his own knife, documents state.

Sgagias said he had no comment Wednesday at his restaurant, other than to say the incident was "in the past."

Armas had worked as a dishwasher at the Hillside for several weeks, but then decided he would move back to York and quit working at the restaurant, documents state.

"But he never left," documents state.

Sgagias offered to give Armas a ride to York, since he did not have a vehicle, and asked Ritter to come along, because he believed Armas was intoxicated, documents state.

Once they arrived at Armas' home and Sgagias was with Armas inside a room, Armas grabbed him by the neck, forced him to the ground, and began hitting him, documents state.

Ritter heard Sgagias yelling and came to help, grabbing the knife by its blade. Pulling a folding knife from his pants pocket, Ritter stabbed Armas in the abdomen, documents state.

"Armas immediately stopped fighting with Ritter and let go of his knife," documents state.

Ritter then snapped Armas' knife in two and threw the pieces away from them, documents state.

Armas faces four counts of aggravated assault, and two counts each of simple assault and recklessly endangering another person. No reason was given for the attack in charging documents.

http://www.ydr.com/crime/ci_28290361...ration-hearing