Chinese national pleads guilty in Greensburg meat cleaver attack, deportation expected

A Chinese national is expected to be deported after pleading guilty on Monday for attacking his Greensburg roommate with a meat cleaver in August.

Liwu Tian, 57, pleaded guilty to one felony count of aggravated assault as part of a deal with Westmoreland County prosecutors. Because the case is concluded, the victim — a Mexican immigrant who has been held in jail since this summer as a material witness — also will be released.

Police said Tian hit his 19-year-old victim in the head and back with a meat cleaver following an argument at a Main Street residence. Authorities said the men worked together at a Hempfield sushi restaurant and resided in a home owned by their employer.

Prosecutors dismissed single charges of attempted homicide, aggravated assault with extreme indifference, reckless endangerment and simple assault as part of the plea deal.

Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Christopher Feliciani sentenced Tian to serve up to 23 months in jail and gave him credit for the time served since his arrest on Aug. 15. The judge said Tian is eligible for parole, but ordered he remain at the county prison until he is taken into custody the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.

“The defendant will be deported to China,” Assistant District Attorney Amanda Rubin told the judge.

Prosecutors said Tian was not legally in the United States. Defense attorney Michael Worgul declined to comment at the conclusion of Monday’s court hearing.

Tian, through a Mandarin interpreter, admitted to his role in the meat cleaver attack but opposed his deportation.

“I really don’t want to be deported to China because my family, my wife and son, are here,” Tian said.

Melanie Jones, spokeswoman for county District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli, said Tian’s victim, Jamie Hernandez Ruiz, signed off on the plea deal.

Jones said Ruiz was not seriously injured but was hospitalized several hours after the attack.

The judge lifted a detainer that held Ruiz in custody at the jail for the last several months. Prosecutors claimed Ruiz held legal status in the U.S., but was a risk to flee and asked that he be detained until Tian’s trial.

Prosecutors said they had evidence Tian offered to pay his victim $20,000 to withhold testimony and leave the county.

Feliciani ordered Ruiz immediately released from jail to an address verified by county probation officials.