A Lansford man accused of stabbing a woman in the leg and later spitting on a police officer in 2023 pleaded guilty in both cases Thursday in Carbon County Court.

Carbon County President Judge Roger Nanovic sentenced Erik Speece, 39, to 6 months to 2 years in prison after he admitted to simple assault in the spitting case, and a concurrent 15-30 months in prison for aggravated assault (attempt to cause bodily injury with a deadly weapon) in the stabbing.

Lansford police responded to an East Abbott Street home for a physical domestic incident around 4:20 p.m. June 21, 2023, after a woman called 911 and told them Speece was extremely intoxicated, yelling and screaming at her.

While on the phone with Carbon County 911, the woman said Speece pulled out a knife and stabbed her in the right leg, court papers said.

Police took Speece into custody and the victim was taken to a hospital for treatment.

Officers found the knife in the bottom of a kitchen garbage can.

Just under two hours later, officer Jared Green of the Franklin Township Police Department was at St. Luke’s Carbon Campus because Lansford police were arriving with Speece, who had that stated he was suicidal as they attempted to commit him to the Carbon County Correctional Facility.

Speece, according to court papers, was taken to the emergency department at St. Luke’s Carbon Campus, where he became irate and agitated, screaming and yelling profanities and homophobic slurs toward the arresting officer before getting up from the exam bed and attempting to rush toward him.

Medical personnel then treated Speece while police were on hand.

Speece, court papers state, then spat twice in Green’s face while he was being treated.

In addition to the jail sentence, Speece was ordered to undergo a comprehensive drug and alcohol evaluation and follow all treatment recommended within 60 days.