Woman hospitalized after stabbing west of Highway 99 in Fresno. Helicopter helps in arrest

A 27-year-old woman was rushed to Community Regional Medical Center Monday afternoon after she was stabbed by a male assailant on West Belmont Avenue and Parkway Drive, police reported.

Lt. Rob Beckwith said the assault took place at a Valero gas station. The man, also in his late 20s, was apprehended by police after he was located by a police helicopter.

Beckwith said the victim was taken to a motel in the 900 block of Parkway for her safety after the attack, and that’s where police and emergency workers found her. The motel was within feet of the spot where a fatal shooting took place Saturday afternoon.

She was reported to be in stable condition at the hospital, and the suspect initially faced charges of assault with a deadly weapon as investigators determined if there are other offenses.