Gustavo Vega Garcia, 39, was sentenced Tuesday in Ramsey County District Court to more than 15 years in prison for the attempted murder last September of his estranged wife in St. Paul.
Garcia pleaded guilty in February to attempted intentional second-degree murder. He admitted that he went to his estranged wife's home in the 100 block of Maple Street on Sept. 29 in violation of an order for protection.
He stabbed her several times before his 13-year-old daughter and a female housemate intervened. The wife had one surgery for a stab wound to her abdomen and lacerations. Another surgery was required to repair her damaged hand.
The female housemate was eight months pregnant at the time and told police that Garcia had thrown her, stomach-first, into a table.
Charges of first-degree burglary and two counts of violating an order for protection were dismissed at sentencing. District Judge Rosanne Nathanson gave Garcia credit for 216 days spent in custody, ordered him to pay restitution and submit a DNA sample.
PAT PHEIFER
